"For all we know it's just a lie,
scare your son, scare your daughter."
Invulnerable delusions
sparsely seen
curl heaven-wards, words of
ash, grey flowerbeds
climbing blue veins
buds fed on oxygen suck light
pluck petals from twisted thorns
on branches of blood and air.
An horizon nears with each puff
the tar on the road thick black
thicker blacker
pedestrians crossing sticking
sinking
brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, daughters,
sons,
sinking
just crossing pedestrians
thicker blacker
with each puff
an horizon nears
of vulnerability
delusions reality of pain
a slow blue-faced suicide
wintry sympathy buried in the
ash, poisoned water
salted falters falls fails
to breathe, anger tainted tears
full branches of blood and air.
