the placebo effect

8-11-09

unchoreographed, crash landing in a church pew
fresh paper cuts shattering your vulnerability
you stay innocent, lest you learn to read
and even then you're still spinning in amber.

living is skydiving
or standing on the Eiffel tower
dropping strawberries covered in chocolate
on all the passersby.

you glide from realm to realm
from acid rain to puritan snow
your orange-brown aura darkens
and eventually blends into your sleep cycle.

living is paper fans and air-conditioning
or fainting underneath the sun
letting the heat reign victorious,
lying on a tingling sidewalk.

chiffon grapples for your lungs and airways,
spreading like cancer to your knees
winter melts, all before tea time,
and you're left with nothing but sand between your teeth.

life is forgettable
when you're addicted
to placebos.