Tonight beneath my son’s window
someone is shooting up
Long ragged exhale
into the warm night
we say we are
A good city
We say we are
A safe city
And I could call nine-one-one
cops would come
roust the broken man
from the small alcove
just below my sleeping boy
But I don’t want him punished
don’t want him beaten or harmed
or threatened
or lost
In the hollows
we good people call jails
Is he not also
a mother’s child
Tonight beneath my son’s window
someone is shooting up
And we don’t have safe injection sites
some good people say we should
some good people say we shouldn’t
They rage and debate from their safe houses
While tonight
Tonight beneath my son’s window
someone is shooting up
His murmurs are low now, soft
All harm turned inward
My son sleeps in his soft bed
sweet face at rest
arms out, open hands
perfect trust
I put my phone down
Stay where you are, neighbor
where you are dry
and the night is quiet
Where I will hear you
if elusive peace turns to terror
if you start to slip away
Where I could call nine-one-one
not for billy clubs and move along
but for Narcan
and one more morning
I’m not one for prayer
but tonight
Tonight beneath my son’s window
someone is shooting up
Please
keep us all safe
Please
show us a way
to bring our lost neighbor
home.
