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The Shift

As the whole world shrieked and the night sky bled red,

Fortune favored the foolish, or so it is said;

But fortune is doubtful and gives in to despair.

Two, only two will go on; others won't care.

This night; this night is no sailor's delight!

There was not a warning; nothing quite right,

They, of course, desire that which cannot be.

How will they find each other across the dead sea?

The phones are all out; the cars are not running;

TVs are all black; the rats seem so cunning.

Who knows if they should try, of course they must try.

He would win; this world must never be nigh.

Two only two, it will end without care,

There must be more, but finding them; where?

Following the same line or the same drift?

Death is their master following the great shift.

Their hearts breaking open, their faces a’ smear;

What's the next step? where to go from here.

Fire will cleanse and fear motivate,

Instinct is to live, only hopelessness waits.

Were I one, one of the two,

Would I pray to my god or as Oxford, bid adieu?

Or would I pray to the fallen? this seems his domain.

Deceit, destruction, death; all his refrain.

They may walk the paths only Proserpine can see;

They may follow another if another there be.

But fear has them tight, squeezing their fair necks.

Forlornly they wander upon ghostly spar decks.

Hope is not yet devoured, its feathers flutter; it is not put aside!

A chance it survives, a chance it abides!

This blessed plot, even a small part, it shall no longer play;

It should not be so; it should be as I say.

Yonder light doth twinkle; wee hope is renewed.

Hesperus and Pequod and Titanic ensued.

The one here must see the one over there;

The one over there cries havoc, cries despair.

Pushing and plodding with sails all aflame;

He holds his course true, he knows the end game.

The goal at last reached, through guile and through brawn,

It’s said it is always the darker just before dawn.

A new day's energy; walk - then run;

Renewed alliance; known sadly to none;

Omega man and omega woman slung together;

Shaded eyes; cool drink, Gordian leather.

By

Jeff McCullough