New Deal

Standing on the edge of forever

walking the tightest rope

Looking down into tomorrow’s abyss

devoid of any hope

The bottom rushing toward me

if one mistake is made

A footpath to a broken dream

too numb to be afraid

My past missteps surround me

daring me to jump

Reminding of what I can’t forget

this roiling morbid funk

But one last chance is taken

as I step outside myself

Shedding the fate of snake eyes past

—new cards the present dealt

(Dreamsleep: May, 2023)