Darkness sweeps around me
Like the train of a robe
My footsteps tread the black sea
Of wooden planks that hold countless anaerobes

The smell is rich and potent
When I breathe deep the air
Filled with love, sorrow, and excitement
That brings back time from elsewhere

Every nerve inside me tingles
My heart beats a wild tattoo
My throat with my heart mingles
As my brain flashes last-minute reviews

Deep breath in, deep breath out
Suddenly, the lights are up
And without a shadow of a doubt
Nothing in my face betrays the buildup