failed piss poem

i need to stop writing poems
like this

about nothing in essence
but i can't help it

its "how i do"

i wanted to write a poem
about taking a piss

in the men's room

but it bogged
down

i tried to bring
in the rules

you know,
the rules:

look straight ahead
study the wall

(admire the tile
& grout work)

don't talk to the
guy next to you

better yet
a whole urinal

between the two of
you-- its better that way

don't look down

shake twice
zip

wash your hands
leave

then i was going to
write about the

antiseptic smell
& the bright

florescent lights
the blue floors

& the gray
walls

& maybe throw a zinger
or two about the

dudes that talk on
cellphones while

droppin deuces in
the stalls

but it just didn't work
nothing there

i tried a
couple of times

but nothing except maybe
a crude aside

so i threw my hands up
(washed with soap & water

under the cold water tap--
that's all they have in the men's room)

& said "never mind, it
wasn't that good a poem

anyway"