New Deal

Standing on the edge of forever
walking the tightest rope
Looking down into tomorrow’s abyss
devoid of any hope

The bottom rushing toward me
if one mistake is made
A footpath to a broken dream
too numb to be afraid

My past missteps surround me
daring me to jump
Reminding of what I can’t forget
this roiling morbid funk

But one last chance is taken
as I step outside myself
Shedding the fate of snake eyes past
—new cards the present dealt

(Dreamsleep: May, 2023)