Searching through the forest,
  chasing dreams your sleep abandoned

And losing yourself in the mindless
  spatial distance

You play two handed poker
  with the devil of the night

The Prince holding only one card,
  as you gamble it all…

Forever promising:
“This hand will be your ticket out”

He relays his wagered truth,
  with a baton of shattered tears

But time recovers,
  the present firing upon the night

Hitting it at last dead center,
  the debris now quicksand

Drowning the last excuse
  of your bloodless past refusals

Salvation now in full retreat,
  —all exits thrice denied

(Villanova Pennsylvania: March, 2017)