A feather of perception swaying
the lightest drizzle from a waterfall
searching correlatives
in the misty edge of speech
surfing bashful thoughts
flits of panic withdrawn
disjointed rituals of sound
— the night pageant a digression
circumcised
as the shadow slips into the shower
the kettle squeals it back into the kitchen
the toaster performs its array of flickembers
clickflops under dutifully golden toast
and sleep consciousness dawns
its statue of salt
— the alien ready
to whisk the day once more into circles of logic
the light feather of perception dissolved
the hologram thickened for yet
another nine-to-five pact of life
it is now never
for anyone to know any less of
what servitudes life didn’t carry
compliances comfort didn’t shell
perils the body did take under the only shirt
of courage
the daily daring not to ebb
into the nine-to-five pact of life
black steaming coffee – the potion
to harness the alien into regular time