readjusting to the ward

demonic future peek-a-boos

the fish tank of the present.

taps the glass, grins,

shows me the blade.

 

jeopardy!

like a stray dog being coaxed

to the nice man holding

the treat and the needle.

 

seconds scatter like angry ants,

each holding a wasted decade

on its back.

 

spooning bodies

become forking legs

become the pink sunrise

becomes stacked corpses,

meathook handshakes,

napalm, maggots, rotten toothed

kisses, cigarettes on gooseflesh,

Jesus with oversized canines,

and the smell of melting

plastic army men

through the fake Christmas

tree forest.

 

squeaky bedsprings

turn to cleaver reflections

turn to responsive scripture readings

turn to my teacher’s voice again

“through counseling, a penis

mashed in the door becomes

a green apple lollipop

tap dancing on licorice legs.”

 

thanks Sister Freakshow!

least of all mysteries

is why I’m so confused

about what hurts.

 

remember that spider

that got into your dress?

you made me reach up there,

and try to find it.

I never found it,

and I’ve got enough scars

to fill the empty midnight sky.

 

when do these nightmares

become dreams?

 

as a matter of meat,

I have lots of capsized questions

for the shadows on the floor,

 

but, they never answer me.

 

6 months in the booby hatch?

 

can I opt out in favor of slow execution,

or should I start sharpening my toothbrush,

and programming the remote immediately?

 

reasons only work for those who believe

in sense,

I’m more instinct than discernment.

 

and, my antennae are keen to the plot:

the cleaning guy already vacuumed out my soul,

and you’ve come back for the leftover change.

 

take it all.

 

the elf in the drain says

I won’t need it in the next life.

 

according to he

and the warm packet of mayo

tucked under my pillow,

there’ll be a buffet after the seminar.

 

and actual people, like you,

are not invited.

Author's Note

please don't tell me you don't get it.
of course you don't get it.
what fun is writing from the vantage point of an insane mind
if everyone gets it?

Reviews

[SkinlessFrank]

There are a whole host of sensations of insanity tucked chock-a-block in to this one, many of them it seems, while not actually ones that I've experience first hand, ring true in some threatening way. I particularly like:

seconds scatter like angry ants,
each holding a wasted decade
on its back.

for the way it reminds me of the self-imposed ruination we endure as the senseless end comes accelerating towards us like a freight train.

And oh yeah, will there be a quiz before the buffet?

[johnnyqueer]

So strange... I'm really glad I stumbled upon this. Its exactly what my brain needed. Your style is really cool. Awesome poem!

[Amy Bumpas]

No, I don't get it...and yes, freakshow came to mind LOL!! This is
a circus of colorful characters for sure, and boy, do you put on a show...:))

[roarke]

what fun indeed.... the good part of insanity is you don't HAVE to get it just to GET IT...... Lithium and Thorazine cocktails beat martini's hands down.

What do we understand anyway? Does any path in life actually lead to understanding? Why do you think those monks live on mountain tops?

One of the coolest things about your writing to me is the stanza image transformations, the meta-morph-sations of the direction of the mental scramblings toward the exit door of clarity.

Besides, anyone can get like that watching too many Walt Disney television shows....

[Kenneth The Poet]

I kind of get this...I guess. I have seen insanity firsthand.