Between Exit Signs

by Samm Harper Panos

Daydreaming, Copper Star Coffee house
Taking a drag on the lit butt
Positioned in curve of a tray
Burning and falling into oblivion
Lift it to my lips and slowly inhaling the last drag
Exhaling the smoke rings
Shadows appeared embedded in the windows
Leaving, coming for the a heated beverage
Jolene, barista, rested her pencil like elbows
Humming, and drumming her fingers on the counter
Dillon tunes, and unknown local bands
Suicidal, dramatic queens obsess over last night’s black outs
“I slept with what, and did what?”
Frankie has a sketch pad with penciled drawings but no Picassos’
He spoke of the desires to having a meaningful dysfunctional relationship
Finding only breakups between cups of coffee
Tears fall, bouncing, making rings in the steaming brown drink
Tucked away in a chipped mug
Psychological bantering happens,
Echoes reverberate
Between exit signs of my mind
Not sure what your experience will be but
Take exit 69
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Samm Harper Panos was born in Tucson, Az. her parents owned a used furniture store and raised six children who live across the United States. Samm attended a private grade school and high school and than graduate from Arizona Stat University and then graduate school at Ottawa University. She works as a social worker at a Phoenix hospital and is working on her PhD in medical psychology. She published her first book of poetry “Cray lesbo Poetry” in 2013. Samm is working on her second book of poetry this years. Samm loves to attend to her Nubian goats and other farm animals and also has a partner of 7 years who works as a physician assistant. Samm plans to move to Costa Rica in 2 years and live with her animals and partner.