An unintended sojourn to say the least
Cast out of my shell to the belly of the beast
Among one of many realities I cannot divulge
Like so many bubbles in a bowl of vile sludge

An unexpected trip to my home in the east
Across river of sighs to a place of priests
Where stained glass dormers caught my eye
Frightening me so - I could not cry

My children's passing I could not impede
Life is more complicated, I must concede
For I've seen things I cannot understand
Feeling as though struggling in quicksand

I was pulled into an unplanned trip
To a place of distant thunder, only the tip
Of a locale so strange I could never conceive
Hoof beats bearing down surely bring no relief

It was on a teeter-totter to nowhere I wanted to be
Free though I was to visit and see
The demons and wizards always among us
Though I knew not for whom or for what purpose

I have entered a portal to realms of the unknowable
Passing through space and time is unbearable
To see things that go against all I was taught
Learning that life as we know is for naught

A well-tuned machine was left without driver
Stumbling around to twitch and to quiver
Moving furniture and scaring my family
Reality is what we can see and feel......maybe

Jim Ganley
Bow, New Hampshire

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