IN A BLACK RUBBERY SLEEP I DREAM ABOUT  
         COLD BOILING ASPHALT AND         
       CRIMSON EMERGENCY FLARES...        
                                          
                                        
    
                                        
                                          
   THEY WERE TEARING DOWN STATUES, AND    
  BELLOWING THEIR MANIFEST, IN THE RAIN,  
               IN THE DARK,               
                                          
     AND SOMETHING FOLLOWED ME OUT, A     
  YEARNING. A MEMORY OF BEING TOUCHED BY  
     A RAY FROM A RASPBERRY SUN. STILL    
   THERE, EVERYTHING WOULD BE GRITTY AND  
  FULL OF TAR. RAIN UPON IT. BUT THEN A   
  FEW BRIGHT AND COLORFUL ANOMALIES. AND  
           A PROMISE FOR MORE.            
                                          
  LIKE WAKING UP WITH A BUSINESS CARD IN  
              YOUR POCKET...              
                                          
   A FEATHER BOA WRAPPED AROUND A VELVET  
  LIZARD, SURFACING FOR MILLISECONDS AT A 
    TIME, CALLING, TUGGING AT MY ARMS.    
   BEGGING ME TO SINK BACK DOWN AND BE    
  WITH THEM, WITH THEIR KIND. EASY TO GET 
   WASHED AWAY FROM THE TETHER, FROM THE  
               WAY BACK UP.               
                                          
                                          
 BUT I CANNOT GO. THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD  
  BE TOO LARGE. ESPECIALLY SINCE I'M IN   
    THE WORK MILL AND THEY'VE GOT THEIR   
   EYES ON ME ALREADY. THE FEELING WILL   
  WANE, AND I WILL MISS IT, AND CEASE TO  
        UNDERSTAND. LIKE EVERY DAY.