yard full of dogs
barking two houses down
any and all hours of the night
one dozen local cats (give or take)
fighting spitting yowling
screeching spats in syncopation
with the yard of dogs
snoring wife
she subvocalizes too
sometimes even calls out
words she never hears
middle-aged bladder
parked atop my piss-pipe
demanding attentive relief in the dark
this has gone on for months
secret police know the toll
not long before he breaks down
confesses to everything
later in the day at my desk in the office
no place to lie down
no carpet on the hardwood floor
the boss right around the corner
my chair is on wheels
the floor is smooth
no sleeping here no sleeping
(Copyright 2023 by Tetman Callis.)