I’m alive deteriorating.

Sit with myself and shut out the light;

dark is safe, dark is wise.

It’s easy to hide in your own disguise.

At every turn, a loss.

Close things seem distant;

I’m slithering away.

Death becomes her in an instant.

We shadow plays in effort of life,

get swept up in a casual blow.

Shall I make an inference?

It makes no difference.

Sometimes I’m still in the cradle.

I wade my way fearfully

and capture what I keep–

regard it tearfully.

Some days, I’m already asleep.

Halfway down the well,

lights that fade, water creeps,

afraid to climb, afraid to fall

against the swell.