sweet reaper

another bottle of wine
another sleepless night
anxious anticipation
fear, inadequacy and yearning
i combine in my perception
of pearly greens
that witness
from afar
mysterious delight

you're the reaper
come to collect
come to slice and withdraw
scalpel in hand
to remove, to cast anew

i teeter on the edge of words
on the edge of night and day
on the edge, period.
on the verge.

the rivers, the pour
my people have gathered
to witness the passing
to bid farewell
goodbye to the past
to that who i was and cannot be back
broken in burgundy blood
and progressing down my throat
a slit, a slash, in reverse

will that falters
will it will itself into action
will it willingly give
take no more, but GIVE
on both feet, facing the block
willingly surrendering for freedom's sake
for pete's sake
for crissakes

the reaper has come
only a minute's respite and
the fiddler, time to face
yin-yang is my face
confused
contorted
in a grimace of blissful pain
frozen in contradiction
is that a smirk?
tick-tocking away
no time to waste