but the rent is cheap

the railroad

tracks

are close by and when

a train

passes,

the whole room shakes

and 

the pictures

rattle against the walls.

i peek

out the blinds and see

the silver

blur

of the train rumbling by.

i can almost reach out

and touch it.

Mary looks

at me from the bed,

smoking

a cigarette and shakes

her blonde curls,

damp

from sweat.

you have to move, she says.

i don't know how

you live like this.

this is your final warning.

get a better place,

or we're done.

kaput.

finished.

now come back to bed.