Pre-Game

Pre-gaming is important,
but not nearly as important
as pre-gaming the pre-game.

Like when I slept to go
wandering with smoke in my eyes
and hollow hallucinations

of my best man looming
to my right for only me to see.
Or when I got drunk

at the library yesterday.
Or when I wait patiently
in the elevator, placing

a stick of gum in my mouth,
and holding a cigarette
between my ring and middle

finger, for those seven raging
seconds before the flame, before
I choke on the balloon in my throat.