Holding My Breath

I hold my breath underwater - swimming back and forth in the summer sun pool-blue water, blue lips, going blue in the face I hold my breath and kick off I stamp my feet for what I want, feel the tingling in my foot on the hot sidewalk the bottoms of my feet scraped from the rough concrete I want ice cream from the Good Humor truck I wait anxiously for him to turn onto our block

I hold my breath shooting pool - all anticipation my neck cranes forward like a bird - elbows poke out to the side - fingers tremble I hold my breath to avoid sucking in the smoke of the dank bar I hear the jukebox kick on, wailing Waylon Jennings my ears assaulted by strumming guitars and yeehaws the skin on my arm prickles when the cowboy next to me stands dangling his 2-inches of cigarette ash over me I see the balls blur before me on the table I hold my breath and shoot - muscles clenched my eyes bulge as the cue ball flies off the table, my stomach flip-flops as I hear it smash a row of liquor bottles on the bar