"Want" by Dave Morrison

He wanted there to always be

six cigarettes in his pack, he

wanted there to always be a

half-bottle of bourbon in the

cupboard by the sink, he wanted

it to always be Friday, he wanted

all the women to be lovely and all

the men funny, all the politicians

dull and honest, all the clergy

optimistic and trustworthy, he wanted

all food to be good for you, he wanted it

to rain at night, he wanted everyone to

get along, he wanted young people to

have good taste in music, he wanted

crooks to steal from each other, he

wanted everyone to die quickly, he wanted

long summers and short winters, he

wanted to be well-liked and left alone,

he wanted a cheeseburger medium rare

with cheddar, onion, lettuce and curly

fries, he wanted a better view than the

ambulance bays and dumpster, he wanted

to get on with it.