i really hope you
haven’t been waiting for me to continue,
because if i’m being perfectly honest,
i have no idea what’s going on half the time,
strike that,
i never know what’s going on,
this is just being made up
as i go, with little direction
as to where it’s all headed,
but if we’re being perfectly honest,
and i do feel like i can trust you, somewhat,
i don’t think
any-one is driving this ship,
or perhaps the map
got lost at sea, long, long ago
bone scrapes twisting
joints in motion
while fleshy eyeballs
sink further into sockets
watch watch
hear the soft tick of the pen
rubbing against malleable tissue
sponge pushing further into itself
burning and fleeing and faltering
imagine what could be next
then it is
i witnessed a car accident today,
it wasn’t a major accident,
no one died or anything,
but it was kinda startling to see
these two metal and plastic death boxes hurtling directly
into one another,
with little carbon flesh mounds jerked back and forth,
wondering, will i live through this,
or will this be the day, the hour, the moment
of my demise,
and then hood of the car crumpled,
the engine roared, the oil curdled, and the screeches
reached through each drivers’ soul,
asking for a prayer to lift them
Fred Aiken Writing 