Nicotine (edit 3)

[TranquillityBase]

Nicotine

Inside the night
I inhale the toxic fumes
for a few minutes focus
knowing hurdy-gurdy death 
waits around the corner
with all his aching cousins.

A bright dance of wakefulness 
as I listen to the crickets 
and tree frogs for direction,
but they lead nowhere
except to an empty bowl
that whistles for the next pinch
of shag and shadow.

I put death in my pipe
and smoke it.
It’s as simple as that.

The Nictoine Tango

I inhale the toxic fumes

for a few minutes focus

knowing hurdy-gurdy death 

waits around the corner

with all his aching cousins.



I stroll the streets 

and listen to the crickets 

and tree frogs for directions,

but they lead nowhere

except to an empty pipe

that whistles for the next pinch

of shag and shadow.

I put death in my pipe

and smoke it.

It’s as simple as that.





original version



I put death in my pipe

and smoked it.

It’s as simple as that.

Fuses of tobacco braid strands of nicotine

inside my deathless brain,

hurdy-gurdy death waits around the corner

with all his aching cousins.

I stroll the streets of invisible derelicts

and listen to the crickets for directions

but death leads nowhere

except to an empty pipe

that whistles for the next pinch

of shag and shadow.