Fire's Favorite Liquids (I-II)

By Steven Greyheart

II obsess over stains
on the ‘luxury’ flooring
in my apartment unit—
ridged, on-trend,
brown-grey vinyl—
new this season
with curry stains
sun-baked over months.I scrub:
Magic Eraser,
pure acetone,
70% isopropyl alcohol,
Dawn dish soap—
the chemicals
get comfortable
and invite their friends.
the plastic finish
of the mass-installed,
factory-fresh
fancy-ground
peels rubbery;
the color underneath
fades to white.thus enters:
acrylic paint.

III don’t want to wash my jeans
because, yesterday, I filled up
my friend’s Volvo, messily,
and I have always loved
the smell of gas;
it lingers.alcohol and gasoline—
does it matter which you drink
and which you pump
if there is never enough, for me,
of either?

• back to sunscreen at night toc

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