Toast Poem by Morgan Michaels

'Toast', he said, (drily) , 'toast'.
Then a third time, 'toast'.
Only then did the quivering figure on the sofa seem to hear
How he wished it would stop, the quivering, that is,
And the babble of questions.
They were watching 'New York Law And Order'.
Not a good thing for his brother to be watching, perhaps,
Given his state-what had the doctors called it?
Psychotic depression, complicated by alcohol withdrawal,
Complicated by cocaine withdrawal, complicated by what?
Malnutrition? How could a person become malnourished
In America today? In New York City, with all those delis?
With all those pizzarias?
Johnny enjoyed the show, he told Timmy
Though the noise and violence were scary-
It had a strange way of getting under your skin.
(Timmy especially hated the sirens)
'Toast' is what Miguel would become, Johnny explained,
Soothingly to the figure propped sideways on the couch
If he touched a hair of his head-here in Center City
Or home in New York, (where he belonged)
Oh, how he wished he'd go home-
He was beginning to get tired of all this
Three week-ends in a row now, but how do you tell
Your own brother to scram? It was a dilemma.
Frankly, ...