midnight didn't follow me

midnight didn't follow me
but sat in the streetlights
with those men

long into the night
when i should have been asleep
i heard the pretty girl with the sad
eyes weep
 
he laughed with his friends
while we sat in the corner
watching him torture the parrot
that was used to transport
cocaine

it was a cartoon
the screams
the blood 
weren't real

the parrot had green wings
the color of easter basket
jelly beans

he smelled like whisky
and cigarettes
everyone was afraid of him
i was too

 had a different girlfriend
tucking me in each night

pretty barbie dolls
with sad eyes
and closed lips

they were kind
voices like whispers
soothing in small
increments

one weekend
he gifted me a kitten
i named it midnight

there was a party 
in the parking lot
i was counting motorcycles
counting cars

he swore that midnight
ran away

when his latest woman
patted me on the back
i didn't know if it 
was a warning
or a comfort

the weekend visits ended
when he went to jail

i sat in the waiting room
while my mom cried
the black ink on my finger
looked blue in the light

he lied
told me
he just worked in the kitchen 
but he wore the same smile
he had when he killed the parrot