Bright infinity, circlet which circled me as a planetary ring
halo, up and down my body, finally to rest in my eye
Nested there, eyelid convulsed uncontrollably into the night,
overtaken by vision, turned experience, and the halo did not vanish
but broke out from my socket to float effervescent like the smoke stack stench
follows the nicotine addict into oblivion–smell, better than nothing.

Everyone’s path lined in “one way” signs un-seeable, blocked out
by screaming falsettos and painters with immutable brush strokes
word benders far beyond my capability, and everyone else is so well
off or has it so easy (except the planet’s dysentery of poverty,
but we can hardly count them as a feather in our cap
more readily another self failing).

High, high line of self aptitude, images of grandeur and success,
car horn distractions and hype guys
who kicked the ladder rungs out from beneath them
who now toss leaflets and forms in reams–
to blind, paper cut, slice thin, and induce carpal tunnel with signature and initial slots.