Wondering in stranger minds

All that I can wonder

A key taped to a page

The secrets of my past

My thoughts a paper cage

*

I never really liked poems

A sphinx twists up my scribbles

And turns well meant confession

Into hieroglyphic symbols

*

Upon the parchment of my mind

I weave a wordsmith web

Below my threaded thoughts there lies

A dark pit through my head

*

I stand upon my words

My boots stick in the ink

You fall between the letters

Find no ground to think

*

Shallow eyes search trenches deep

You descend and try to find

Meaning in the hazy fog

Of my stranger mind

*

Plumetting down you find your feet

Upon a shaky landing

You meet a Monster hiding

Under a bridge of understanding

*

To cross beyond to freedom

This creature only asks

You solve a simple puzzle

And remove his iron mask

*

You strive and pull and claw

The bastard won’t come off

A rumbling belly laugh erupts

He shakes his head and scoffs

*

Monster tries to help you

He pulls his shirt apart

To reveal a faded chest tattoo

Of a keyhole heart

*

You cut to look beneath

No organs, just a page

Drenched in honest blood

Undiscovered for an age

*

You expect to read instructions

A map towards the key

No need to look too deep

Cross his bridge for free

*

You rip the crimson page

From Monster’s ribcage tomb

Read prose and with frustration

Shove it back inside his wound

*

Confused and lost you will remain

Too ignorant to see

You crumpled up the answer

To understanding me

*

Perhaps some other wondering soul

Will escape the paper cage

The key was always overleaf

You should have turned the page