crisscross, vexed, perplexed the 3 passerby: lilith, pug and val

fell upon the artifact counterfeit

and one became bemused, another crackled with laughter while

the last said surely this be quite obvious, my echoes,

fakeness shimmered, sipped, swam down the river it seems

past cracks, sank into deeper earth for the mind is layers of layers,

the mind is nuanced with many meanings, distortion to one, quite

like daylight and heaven, no hellish fire or brimstone to shiver in fear,

childhood’s end with valiant knights as heroes when the whimsical delights

bore on all, for they all carry their shadows, always a towering giant pounding

repeatedly on Idealism: fades, fades the child must be let go

when fierce horrible monster swing their executioner sword to behead another

helpless innocent, then the darkness flares, the rage howls, the sorrow overflows

like the red sea eager to spew forth lava, to drown the world in heat, flames and smoke.

too much, said the child without arsenal when the labyrinth is more twist, more mines,

more reverse psychology suddenly appearing as angels, green grass, a samaritan

with the narcissist spirit blending into skin and soul, forget the inevitable, a long time yet,

a reassuring chant, mantra, said many times with a coven of witches and wizards,

blending a satisfied smile on skin while the soul flits about like a moth sensing fire,

where? logic crushes the passions, go inert, play dead, lie like death so the death god

will move pass – – – shssh … … the grown man and woman whispered in darkness, furtive,

cunning but cunning does not outplay time, shssh, shssh till our own stories

becomes who we are, trying to make sense of life, the endeavors resemble a chicken

wandering, muttering, busying, ruffles feathers at the many important crossroads,

worms to peck, and where! infinity glances down unperturbed, unaware, each wave

straightens the coastlines, the landscape, zeitgeist the sea in many dotted islands.