Treading dampened woodland path.

Glanced. Blown, transported to a childhood nightmare familiar.

 

Smothering close, just past my nose, the edge of focus.

Whispered my breath bounces back.

Bulk fills my eyeball’s lines to every lid.

The texture intimate.

Crevices seen and without touch, their depth felt, fingered each flaked edge.

 

Nightmare familiar enough, fearful diluted playful.

In dreams a dark visitor relished, embraced.

 

Glancing. This forced rent trunk fallen and fibrous.

Bone pale, gentle weathered worn years after that storm.
Snapped look locked to socket eye.

Shocked by a whale in the forest.

 

Remind mind, just a dead stump.

O! The name Dead gives it power.

Looking at me.

Inanimate mannequin channeling the living.

It blinks its eye.