Future Deleted Experiment of the Present # 15

“The Last Thaumaturgist”

cast out upon Elba as argonauts upon clashing rock and sirens shipwrecked

within doddery earth soddened long lasting by ol’ Fawkes’ tears keeping his life by a king’s fleeting respect

such feats retired to spaces exhausted on stages of Corsica’s sweet mortality and side effects all madmen reject

of soliloquy to snobbery saddened in oxygen’s late memories carbonized absence in step

colorless paint spills against walls Basquiat we suspect would forget

isle allergy knows white noise channeled by feared letters pressed wet in fresh printed laws to advance

haunted by hands hunting for sport, a walloped belly, Houdini’s endmost regret

precision bedded amongst penury preserving roofless room beggary unchecked

ruthless, laid empty in beds aware of blauge bitten abstinence beset

napoleonic gestures granted for grand guginol mockery to all in excess

a lion’s share pouring glasses of absinthe and one last rolled cigarette

exiles of bizarre theater casts shadow puppetry of mysterious origin at Darwin’s sunset

paid to witness chancy games keeping late hours bought within envy to rover by token a tally on docket

fade in delicious sleight of hand like Dedi’s magical cups of Osiris’ Egypt, winnings gambled with our final gold ducat

seemingly defeated by chains stronger than one nazarite’s oath buried by pillars except

this sleeve holds one last trick of chicanery to any misgivings had on modern magic few of us possess

to the hordes holding their one thousand sabres to my neck

St. Helena conquered Bonaparte but she won’t hold me within her exquisite arms just yet