there’s a moment
between
“it’ll go like this”
and
it does
that
you think to yourself
“or not”

like many other things,
it’s a curse as well as a juxtaposition
two pictures set next to one another
then realizing that they’re crooked
with your audience already flooding in

what can you do,
when the future prepared for
is not the future that jumps out?

most will be toppled over in a daze
a few lucky ones will miss the beast
or perhaps even send it back whence it came
but again, most will be toppled
left in a daze for the amusement
of others