The brass peal of encouragement fanfares me to action
And bids me to play myself the highest note as can reach
Balanced on the edge of a scale, my treble-hearted quaver
To hold my tone in purest form until, beyond my fine appeal
I may breathe again

I roll out my mind
I knead to concentrate
I pound and pound and pound
Trying to smooth it straight
And once it’s even
I roll up my sleeves
And cut shapes with the cutters
Of reason and release
Now holes are left
In interesting shapes
And I roll up what’s left
To start over again

I’m on a roll
I knead to concentrate

oh i am
          afflicted
by the poison of       humanity
a prisoner of vanity
rapt in her
          deceit

oh i am
         addicted
to the lure of      futility
seizing shadows of the fleeting
trapped upon
        repeat
      
oh i am
          convicted
in the blazes of my     treachery
contentious human nature
will not admit
         defeat