Correcting Cern

You're bending reality again 

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