He needed a job so he practiced tossing

his succession of children all four from a bridge

To see if any would float away as quickly

as the past four years of his life

Or sink deeply into the silken silt of the bayou

waiting to be unearthed

by a paid federal employee

or a curious ombudsman

excited for his annual gift

He was his own leader answering

To the omnipresent voice in his head—

what he said as if not sad

It was his job to see if the nightwatchman

was still awake