there once was a bullfrog named Lee
who decided to go on a spree
he hopped to his car
but didn't get far
seems he croaked
before turning the key

~
"The cradle rocks above an abyss, and common sense tells us that our existence is but a brief crack of light between two eternities of darkness." — Vladimir Nabokov

Clockworks and Ferris wheels
mix time and laughter into their spin
and then comes twilight
and a vacant lot
of endless cycles:
hide and seek in a night-time labyrinth
and then the night walks begin
this fear of emptiness
—time is not a straight line

a warning to the curious:
don't ever trust the stars
to guide you
in the black hit of space
the warmth of our flare's lifespan
is a true testament to the skill and sorcery
found in every limb, larynx
and lovelorn heart
of this dimming voidance

delaminated

I've broken free

the blade undone

cover me with a round of fire

and I'll meet you

on the landing strip

but where's the safety net?

where are the professionals?

it's not war that chills my spine

this time

it's the final take