Colors Running

The silver hook

Is winking light

Inside the

Shrinking pond.

Grey sky, black cloud,

Softest autumn showers.

I cast my wish aloud.

I cannot hope to follow.

I'm behind you

Beyond,

Polite.

I'm watching walls

Fall off beige,

Closing in.

The rain outside's

Erasing prints,

So everybody's innocent.

Red fish, pink fish,

Green and darkened water.

I spent my final wish.

I cannot swim much farther.

I once spewed such vile nastiness,

My female friend the pacifist

Responded,

Punched me in the eye

And nearly knocked me out.

These decades taming.  Why?

The ceiling's lowering.

I find myself

With something like a smile,

Something like a face

Unpained,

An unconvincing folktale.

So many bowling pins

High spinning in the air

I'm losing the game

And falling to blue

Looking at you.

- 10/27/25