Sore Throats

Mother called me last night

the rings catapulted between my eardrums,

and the buzzing shocked my chair

sending a vibration through my right lung

missing my heart

it shot through the bedroom wall.

The old boy next door

draped around his sofa with chips and sauce

guilt-struck by the lightning Ringggggg

striking

some Sports game in a TV box

a-blazing

and stinging fingers scratched

a greasy sizzle

trapped ache under his scalp.

In the next apartment,

scrub

scrub

scrape

a maid washing dishes

scrub

scrub

pushed by the Call

her locket

pressed against her tight collarbones

scrape

scrape

scrape

soap

burning a scabbing memory.

And three elders gathering

for a Sunday night comfort

heard the Ringing in their lower backs

remember last Tuesday?

damn that storm

they’re stuck in traffic again

their jobs,

their jobs,

their jobs,

making them tired…

always this damn straining.

Then the visitor

chest first

through the last concrete wall

caught starry spirit

back leaning

fell through bricks

fell through bones

fell through fire

fell back into electrical void

a lingering shrill

hollowing a floor of tenants

whose burning throats

swallowed

words

perished in the flame.