pillow humping

by Karl Koweski

night shift work leaves me awake
three o’clock in the morning
on a Friday night
staring bleary-eyed
at the television screen
afraid to interfere with
my daylight sleeping routine

softcore Cinemax offers
slight titillation sprinkled
with despair
the brunette wallows in silken sheets
dripping candle wax across
her spray-on tan before
passionately humping her pillow

and I have to wonder
when she made the decision
to pursue acting
did she envision herself
faking an orgasm
with a pillow trapped between her legs
for a late night cable movie?

did she read the script
and think
this role is gonna put me over?

and as I type this,
a writer of no great merit
I wonder
how long have I been
humping pillows?