[Coup]

I like an audience
so I do things,
random things

I was at an Assembly once
and fell asleep to monotony
to rasping echos, falling
into a nursery of short attentions

the speaker was one bearded neck vocalizing
safe sex or vote or die or whatever
I was sleeping anyways, don't matter

an elbow nudged a lower rib
and I lifted crusty eyes
took in a thousand images
and bit my lower lip yawing
I mentally told off the dude next to me
and my head rocked back again

an elbow again
fuck it, let's roll

I pulled out a Marlboro from a shirt pocket
light it against one hundred gasps
exhaled into infinity, smoke rings for Jesus
I guess, whatever

I stood to stretch my jeans
but really to see the sea of faces
all point blank, some laughing
some judging, most up tight

the bearded speaker froze
now every ounce of energy
turned on me, I took another drag
I was the Assembly now
speaker, or whatever
don't matter, they led me
into the lime light

I exhaled into a womans face
never noticed her really
because I was on the stage now

Looking into the sea of cookie cut faces
I took another drag of the Marlboro
exhaled thinking about what to do
up here, king of the mountain
thinking

fuck it,
I pressed a white knuckle
against a hitch hikers thumb
knocking my Marlboro back
to let the mother fucker with
happy elbows have a sentiment
of my attention