nightmare

riding dark horse
to prison library
where sewer
backs up flooding
cages of books
my brains are washed
by a short scientist

detectives trail me
arrested by police
giving up to
handcuffs & ether

now on train
calendars peel
off sidecars
1942   1962   1982
2198   1892   1294
passengers screaming
screaming off track
burning 3rd rail

galloping away now
eating dust surfacing
in a swamp struggling
to reach green reeds
i   am   a
fixed target
paper duck

nightmare

*pull trigger*fire pin*thru barrel*into muzzle*
b u l l e t         s h o t
paper duck
mowed down