on the precipice, i stand
the canyon below
gathering shadows in its hungry maw
my eyes plunge into the last of day
so near, her rays
i can almost touch them
one more step and i’ll be in Heaven
been chasing the sun for years
with every step, i’m farther behind
here on this ledge, watching it slip
into yet another sleepless night
weary bones chafe my soul
the razor’s edge between right and wrong
dulled by this religion of holy addiction
footprints in the dust, useless waypoints
swept away by wind and rain
don’t know from which direction i came
too many hours spent following clouds
gas in the tank for a trip to the dealer
but not enough change in the ashtray
for a tune-up
hallucinating romantic notions
into happily hazardous delusions
i fight with my demons over loaded dice
it’s a battle of pirogues; we drown in the drink
night-after-night; it’s a three-ring circus
i wake up stomped into pachyderm fodder
damn, it’s a long way down
but i just can’t stand to sink any lower
i step away from the crag
plot a course though the starlit night
compass pointing toward dawn,
my destination’s not on the map, but i realize
Heaven’s not waiting at the bottom of a cliff
