a room with a view

it's a small

apartment on the 30th floor

of a building

facing the city,

the river.

one bedroom,

one bath,

a galley kitchen.

a couch, a chair, a television.

he sits

on the balcony to smoke,

and sip

a drink or two.

the hard work

is over.

sometimes he'll read,

or listen

to music.

sometimes the phone

will ring,

or it won't.

sometimes he'll wake up

in the middle

of the night and wonder

how he ended up

here,

at the end of his life.

he keeps a picture

of his loved ones 

on the table.

they greet him in the morning.

but they

aren't there.