September 2011

It keeps on happening again and it will

be forgotten again until it’s September.

We’re in the tall building paying the bill

overdue to the city for gas to fuel

our furnace. We’re thinking November—

it keeps on happening again—and we’ll

need heat. Now it’s still summer, too hot until

fall to turn off the AC. Consider

that other cloudless day, paying the bill

in City Hall. It’s way too high now, still

we pay it. Look at the line, at him, her—

it keeps on happening again and it will.

Energy’s costly. We forget it can kill.

Though some of our children can’t remember,

we in the building paying the bill

look at the date, at the window sill,

think of their choice between jump and tinder.

It keeps on happening again and it will.

We’re in the tall building, paying the bill.