Michael Crane’s ‘The great conspiracy’

from Poems from the 29th floor

Sitting on a tram,
watching a group
of tough young people,
I notice one of the girls
has a huge hickey
on her neck. I’m sorry
but that is hilarious.
Now I’m convinced
that the world is conspiring
against me being a serious writer

and any minute now
there will be a giant
banana cream pie flying
through the air towards me…

just before it hits me
a poem will sacrifice itself
and jump in the way
to save me from losing my mind,
just like this one did.