In the dream that woke me up today
I’m walking somewhere in the vicinity of disaster
My old friend from the black plaguing days
When every step toed a thin, thin line
Abyss to the left of me, abyss to the right
Balance less a fear than it is now, I swayed my way along
But then a plateau I thought would be endless
Appeared before me just when my equilibrium threatened desertion
That wide space to wander narrows inexplicably
And I’m walking somewhere in the vicinity of disaster again
Uncontrollable, inescapable you
Who might come face-to-face with me
Around the next corner or the next
My breaths shorten as I take smaller and smaller steps
My feet feeling the familiar linear pressure cut remembered
Toes curling around the millimeter diameter near cramping
The bare grip and flesh on metal sweat
What’s more now the wind’s come up
Trees dance around me, clouds fly by
While I watch for that hollow-eyed drooler
Teeth like yellow razors sharp enough to bite through steel floss
If my slow step show goes on too long to tolerate
Everything so quiet I hear us breathe, his excitement and my fear
Imagine the cry when I fall will be the music his ears ache to hear
And then it was daylight, and I lay there wondering when
Lanning Lee 