iii.

running through the hallways,
i remembered the box.

and wanted to be back there.

at least i’d know where
things ended that way.

look back, behind me,
there is no

light or sun

but just
a dark sense of something.

(it’s that ambiguous. just
“something.” that’s it.

i don’t know how else
to describe it.)

you know what i mean?
of course you don’t.
this isn’t meant to be
like hooked on phonics,
teaching illiterate children
how things are, at least
in spelling books. this is
more like

out of my mind
far too paranoid
completely insane
wheels running time
like clocks without hands
or grandfather feet.

old.
slow.
gnarled and wrinkled and smelly.

maybe i’m not so smelly,
but i’m fairly sure
i don’t know where
my toes are anymore.

[oh, god. it’s the third
time we’ve done this,
and i still have no idea

how to find my way home.

get me out of here.]