You're a faceless wonder
Dressed in a black suit
With gloves of midnight
Deep within
An ancient cavern's womb
Perhaps the Grand Canyon
Or in Hang Son Doong
Your hand gently moves
Over a pearly orb glowing
Brightly with an array of light
You warn me
With a nagging impulsive nudge
"Another massive time shift
Is about to commence."
I hold steadily to the wheel
Shocked, annoyed, dismayed
I slammed one hand forcibly
On the deep gray steering wheel
Thinking, "Not now!"
My daughter was jolted from her seat
"You scared the hell out of me."
I replied, "I'm sorry,
He's shifting the time lines again."
I continued driving
Holding the wheel steady
On the interstate north bound
"You're clever, you're exceptionally smart,
And you're definitely not human.
Thanks for the heads up
Whoever you are."
Over 6 feet tall in stature
Built strong and brave
Without a face
He replied, "I was correcting Cern."
There was a modern train
From the future once again
Inlaid with art deco ablaze
A double decker renaissance
The bullet trains were no more
Trailblazing through my living room
As I laid down on the remarkably
Harshly hardened bamboo floor
Stretching out my crooked back
Very slowly, one vertebrae at a time
On a tattered purple yoga mat
Being trampled to death
Isn't a dream come true
I held my breathe, preparing for impact
I wondered if they saw me in their reality
As one foot after another stomped
On me during rush hour
Mostly men and women
Wearing long trench coats
Grasping briefcases in their hands
With an array of their own stylish hats
All in obscenely boring colors
Mostly different shades of black and brown
And quite honestly
It didn't help being in a vortex
Built upon an old Indian burial ground
At the end of a cul-de-sac
This same train had the audacity previously
To disrupt me writing quietly
Speeding right through my living room
On the same damn route it rampaged
With the exception that it never braked
I stared in disbelief, confusion set in,
And then, my neighborhood
Dissipated, nature was reset
There were no cities nor towns
Only the gentle breath of mother Earth
Millions of years before
I could feel her breathing
Without worry or malice
All planets
Have anti-diluvian elemental souls
Beyond our criminally deficient comprehension
Trees as far as my eyes could see
Covered every acre of land
Tears ran down my face
In complete awe and happiness
Peace, peace at last
"Tell me your name
Tell me your claim
And thanks so much
For keeping us out of harm's way." ©
Karen L. Fleming
Written 5.30.26, Edit 6.4.2026
