Six months in the same room.
Same smelly carpet, same cracked window.
A broken hot plate, that's what I got.
And an old bed with springs that "pop"
when you're trying to snooze.
Chinese noodles in the cupboard.
Half-empty beers in the fridge.
And a couple of p**no mags,
With their pages ripped.
The roaches all have names.
Al and Hank. Frank...and of course Tank,
that fat-a** roach with his
beer-gut hanging out.
Mofo always comes back for more.
Nailed him with a nudie mag
On the kitchenette floor.
But wounded, he escaped under the fridge.
And now Tank is back.
Back for more crumbs of noodles
And drops of beer
On the kitchenette floor.
Six months in the same room.
Same smelly carpet.
Same cracked window
Same Room Blues.
© Ithaka Darin Pappas (2004)