after months of
attempted immolation
the angry rays have
calmed themselves
enough to allow for
a rare beautiful day
with a hint of rain
to finally feel as if
summer might just
fall into autumn

it took me a few
days to unknot my insides
while working through
the last stretch of
my newest novel as
work turned toxic
and a lone fruit fly
kept buzzing without
understanding its short
shelf life had expired

as the last book nears
completion and the next
begins screaming louder
i try desperately to keep
the duct tape holding
a fragile fool together
from flying off into
another downward spiral
to savor the fresh fall
without suffering one
as i teeter off kilter
at the edge of the abyss