Cosmic hinge

The world just tilted. Not a jolt,

But slow, deliberate, a bolt

Unfastened from a cosmic hinge.

The air, a sudden, subtle fringe

Of cold around the morning's heat.

My heart, a hushed, uncertain beat.

The pavement stretches, wet and dark,

A thin black ribbon, leaving mark

Of unseen turns, a whispered call.

And overhead, a hesitant fall

Of light through clouds, a muted gray.

No chance to turn, no other way.

The steering wheel feels strange and new,

Each curve a path I must pursue.

A phantom weight upon the gas,

A breath held tight as moments pass.

The engine idles, soft and deep,

While dormant promises now leap.

A landscape blurred, a whispered plea,

The edge of what I used to be.

This silent drop, this sudden lean,

The opening of an unseen scene.

The brakes released, a gentle sigh,

And now, only the forward sky.