####$*=«:¨                                          ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨                                          ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨                                          ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨                                          ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨                                          ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨         ¨ ¨¨ ¨¨¨ ««#«« ¨¨¨ ¨¨ ¨          ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨       ¨  ¨«««    « «#« «    «««¨  ¨      ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨         ¨ ¨¨ ¨¨¨ ««#«« ¨¨¨ ¨¨ ¨          ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨                                          ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨  a secret roundabout: in what used to be ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨  brazil or china. fenced in, secluded by ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨  special plants growing unusually tall.  ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨    spelled in by purposeful symmetry,    ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨     roads like symbols, aligned with     ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨  ley lines. dialed in with well-rounded  ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨             gps coordinates.             ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨                                          ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨              ¨¨¨ : = : ¨¨¨               ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨                                          ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨   a dangerous game: the roundabout is    ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨  important to some large constellation   ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨       of intents and bureaucracies.      ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨ governments and companies are creatures  ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨     in a way. yet people sneak small     ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨   between their claws, and hide in the   ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨    roadside bushes. they wait there.     ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨                                          ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨    vehicles approach; the game is on -   ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨   quickly the people assemble in well    ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨  practiced geometries. their bodies make ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨  counter-spells on the asphalt. traffic  ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨   is instantly diverted, flows in sick   ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨  ways, like dogs let loose. symmetry is  ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨                   lost.                  ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨                                          ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨ cars are ejected into the greens. ships  ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨     collide. there are many kinds of     ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨      casualties, on both sides. the      ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨    spellmakers will not come home. it    ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨   sickens me, this physical reality of   ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨  it, but the cause is just. i sneak back ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨      over the fense, heading south.      ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨                                          ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨                                          ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨                                          ¨:«=*$####
###$*=«:¨¨                                          ¨¨:«=*$###
####$*=«:¨                                          ¨:«=*$####