blazed

he had been waiting all day for this moment
alone with a ziploc baggie
a steak knife from his aunt's kitchen
and a cheap cigar
he stole from the gas station across the street
he carefully cut a line
down the side of that cigar
making sure he got it straight
so it would be easier to roll back up
he peeled it apart along this line
turned it over
and dumped it out
now it was just the shell of a cigar
meaningless and empty
like his life here
away from home
he unzipped the baggie
and with his fingertips
again carefully
filled the paper back up
hed bring it back to
lead a better life
than the one originally planned
he filled it
with as much as he thought he could still roll back up
and then more patience and more precision
putting it back together
along the division he had created
and when he had finished
he admired his work
could taste it on his tongue
even before he reached into his back pocket
for the lighter
flicked along the little metal wheel
drew his breath
and watched it burn