in visibility
in behind the wheel
invisible
inviolable
no one sees
me rub my crotch
dig my nose
inspect hair in the mirror
pick filet-o-fish from teeth
or take my hands
from the wheel
so as
to blink
no one hears
me cough 'til my eyes water
sneeze across the windshield
mutter 'asshole' to taxis
tailgating SUVs
sing blowin' in the wind
puff the magic dragon
in full baritone or
ear-rending falsetto
while I change lanes
get caught
behind a semi
and sigh
no one knows
the moment
my eyes blur
ribcage tightens
nausea rises through my throat
and the anvil on my chest
drives me to the curb
where I park
sigh
blink
and die
not even the guy
who doesn't scrape
the frost on the windows
before he hitches me up
attaches the brake lights
for better visibility
and tows
me away
* Alan Girling used to write short fiction. Now it's mainly poetry. However he has had a play produced and would be willing to write a novel if the right idea came along. He writes in Richmond, British Columbia