shadow of a well

shadow of a well

at the crossroads you’ll always find

a line of heavy freight

where sweaty hot chameleons

bargain color for a date

 

a loud man selling tickets

for a percentage of the fare

to tilt the wicker basket

and rise up in hot air

 

step into the big tent

oh weary of sleep and life

the words will sever gently

with the language of a knife

 

a blind man on the corner

is trading nickels for a dime

to batten down the hatches

with a pint of dirty wine

 

there’s an oasis behind the counter

she knows their all the same

to seek a quench or fill a thirst

of someone else’s name

 

you’ll never discover heaven

or long forgotten hell

it’s easy to draw a daydream

from the shadow of a well

 

 

01/16/15 Edmund Linton