step along,
step beside
a fading crack,
with eyes that
look forward
and a heart
that looks back.

ladies and gentlemen
welcome to another
new age.

ignore the children
they will never understand,
that,
from now on,
we’ll speak a
secret code
of nonsense.

those of you close
to the windows
can look out
and see
the endless ocean
of existence,
those of you who
can’t see through
a window,
too bad,
say
goodbye.

welcome to another
new age.

step along,
step beside
a fading crack,
with eyes that
look forward
and a heart
that looks back.

ladies and gentlemen
welcome to
ground zero.

please separate
into the scarred
and the scared,
if you still feel
some residual need
to explore,
remember,
from here we’ll walk
not fly.

we are now
completely earthbound
and, we are,
especially proud
of the wheels
we made
and learned to turn,
amen.

welcome to
ground zero.

step along,
step beside
a fading crack,
with eyes that
look forward
and a heart
that looks back.

ladies and gentlemen
welcome to
the glowing box.

this will help you
really settle in.
and now,
for your enjoyment,
just inhale
the transition
from butterfly
to caterpillar,
it’s painless.

if you must
reach back
for that last
corner
you weren’t afraid
to turn,
you’ll think you see
children,
ignore them,
they will never understand.

welcome to
the glowing box.

step along,
step beside
a fading crack,
with eyes that
look forward
and a heart
that looks back.

ladies and gentlemen
welcome to
the herd.

ignore the children,
they’re never lost,
only somewhere
they’ve never been,
they don’t see
a corner,
soaring,
they just
twist and turn.

we’ll walk,
we’ll settle in.
and the children?
until we show
them how to fold
their wings
neatly
out of sight,
ignore them,
they will never understand.

welcome to
the herd.

step along,
step beside
a fading crack,
with eyes that
look forward
and a heart
that looks back.

welcome to
your end
my friend.