Said he was back on the smack (1998)

Phoned me up,
said he was back on the smack,
"a release from the pressure"
& he'd headed straight for the door,
wanted to leave it open a crack.

Said he was dispossessed unwanted,
& this was getting louder,
but what'll make the difference
when you're freezing isolated -
said he was back on the smack,
but every other relevant thing was going even;
not calm, but even -
even-matched on every side.

Said he'd been dropping himself in the full-speed,
the crushing, taking it hard from all corners.

Slight wavering of hand in the desolate night; stuck fast,
nothing-doing night & suddenly the needle
is the one directing traffic,
& you're an inflatable, just pump the air in, squeeze it in -
to breathe shining air, clear the traffic, close the road.

Phoned me up,
said he was all shortcoming and stress,
said he was back on the smack;
every other thing, occurred to him, was fine.