Persuasion

oval windows with frosted
glass provide circular
observations of all I am
allowed to see this time;
with speculations in hand,
and selected memories in
an air tight mental thermos,
I trudge my way through
life like Patton's soldiers
hating the pressure but
respecting his right to do so;
countless exploits rip open
and damage the tenacious
filaments and fibers of my
personality, altering forever my
youthful, persuasive perceptions
until the clown's face was no
longer smiling but reminiscent
of Kafka's Metamorphosis;
fates are never foretold or
experienced until they are
explained in hindsight by experts
who read tea leaves, throw
darts at photos on the wall,
and shiver when someone
walks on top of them.

17Jul13