five months later and you’re ready
you have that feeling
the feeling that you’re ready to take on a new challenge

“let’s see how this one does!” you say as you walk down the boulevard
with what looks like the newest face in your life
how about that
it’s like you know

it’s like you know it’ll stick like glue
and none of that preschool safety emlers crap
we’re talking heavy duty
tried and tested brown thick paste
the kind that’ll keep a solid gold bird feeder on a corroded fence for generations
liquid nails

that’s what this is to you
at least, that’s what I would think
you don’t seem to think that way

you try things out as they come
you’re the guinea pig
you’ve been everywhere and back
and yet you still go with the flow
and at the same time, against

you push the pendulum by moving with it
something no one could ever even fathom

and here you are
it’ll work, you say
and I say

yeah, it will
for a while

those liquid nails will materialize
and fester into something more realistic
they’ll melt behind the base
and seep through the back
running down your brain
from the limbic core down to the cortex
and from there out your eye sockets
down your cheeks
your neck
your chest
and now look at your toes
you’re standing in a puddle of your own optimism
your high hopes
your assumptions

that hot shot you thought you knew
you’ve seen nothing yet

just watch
or don’t
wherever the river tells you to run

here you are
and here am I
five months later
and I never left