.:=;†§@¶##                                          ##¶@§†;=:.
..:=;†§@¶#                                          #¶@§†;=:..
...:=;†§@¶                                          ¶@§†;=:...
....:=;†§@                                          @§†;=:....
.....:=;†§                                          §†;=:.....
....:=;†§@                    ;;                    @§†;=:....
...:=;†§@¶                   ;  ;                   ¶@§†;=:...
..:=;†§@¶# =================;    ;================= #¶@§†;=:..
.:=;†§@¶##                   ;  ;                   ##¶@§†;=:.
..:=;†§@¶#                    ;;                    #¶@§†;=:..
...:=;†§@¶                                          ¶@§†;=:...
....:=;†§@  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.       ##¶@§†;=:.
..:=;†§@¶#                                          #¶@§†;=:..
...:=;†§@¶                    ;;                    ¶@§†;=:...
....:=;†§@                   ;  ;                   @§†;=:....
.....:=;†§ =================;    ;================= §†;=:.....
....:=;†§@                   ;  ;                   @§†;=:....
...:=;†§@¶                    ;;                    ¶@§†;=:...
..:=;†§@¶#                                          #¶@§†;=:..
.:=;†§@¶##                                          ##¶@§†;=:.
..:=;†§@¶#                                          #¶@§†;=:..
...:=;†§@¶                                          ¶@§†;=:...
....:=;†§@                                          @§†;=:....
.....:=;†§                                          §†;=:.....