Distant mountains in the dark

all blotted up with warmtoned polka dots

almost like the dreariest clown

but really more resembling a circusphant:

made up and bound down and lashed stupidly and pelted with debris

great big, so all the more to tread on

A-frame glowings of something unknown to me

much too far to make out what the TV is playing

but knowing it’s there

I’m nobody really but I have hands

so I’ll take the one and put it over the other

and smear all those lights away

I’ll squint through the darkness at my palm

and see no stains

but I’ll wipe it off on my pants anyway

and I’ll look up again

and the mountains will still be very far away

and still too bright

but maybe a few people went to bed