Posted on June 20, 2026 by Jenn Zatopek

MIDNIGHT AT LAX

I go feral at Gates 46-49, sitting near
a young man playing RPG on his phone,
the sounds loud enough to touch me, and I play 

funny IG reels with the volume turned up,
cackling like a witch with slant eyes because
nighttime Jenn is different than daytime Jenn.

Under artificial lights, I thrum with possibility.
I look at my lipsticks, of which I have many,
and consider painting the bathroom mirrors– 

a spewing volcano, a bouquet of red roses,
the blazing fire of dawn. Suddenly I hear
the faint sounds of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” 

rise over the din of the busy terminal.
Soon the teen chorus rounds the corridor,
and the river of song envelops us all, 

their faces alight with the ferocity of creation,
and I leave my luggage behind,
joining the fray, overtaken together–

the raucous play, the wild joy,
the wondrous singing lifting us all
while the stars burn in the darkness.

Image / Photo by Kazuo ota on Unsplash