© 2021 Michael Raven

the nightmare masquerade
demon dancing in my sleep:

i saw you there
trying to break the chain
they'd laid across 
the wending river you
shipbreakers thief-hearts
laughing at the
crime
powerless to lend
my glitterice knives
to your liberation
held fast by those
corruptive ropes fouling 
my efforts

languishing,
fade to cutting room floor
the night stole the scene
tossing me stage left 
with the waves
battering me
back to
sleep