THE SAGE OF LAS VEGAS

these days you get loaded
questions from people
younger than you: how

do you get to live
like you do?
and you don't

resist the urge
to testify: “try, always
try, and when failure

visits, like a drunk
in the night, have a beer
with him before you

send him on his way.”
they like your skate shoes
and how you walk

around, fearless in the middle
of a work day. you wonder if
they really care what you say.