in flight (1993)

With selfish reason
is youth seasoned-
locked within oneself
grasping the bars
of another’s philosophy-
ever in spurious flight-
amidst hazy nicotine
or smirking inebriety
or inflicting jabs-
for a lapse from conflict
in murky ennui.

Thoughts merely placed-
in parenthesis-
which is within or without
which is in light or in shadow
which is to barricade or to escape-
is a matter of mirth.

Waking to the alarum of resolution-
a clarion call or a swan song-
love or skeptic, live or die?

Sisters raped- scores shock scarred
or is it hundreds hunger hacked
or unto dust thousands torn tortured-
numbers forever seem blurred-

but the black and white is raced through
onto Garfield and invested shares
divested of doubt-

share life with lifeless
in worlds so far away-
or not so?