by Julie Morrison
I.
A mind in darkness feels needled—
an affliction caught, not caused, like yawn to sleep—
no reason—blameless as a baby—
misfortune, fragility—sparing not even a princess—
fear-of-never-better the bramble, a briar—
bad, bad time, fierce for a spell—
answers to ‘what now?’ spindly—everyone stuck—
‘how not to make things worse?’ a malificence—
no slow center—no spokes to life’s wheel, only spines—
victims circling themselves—no way to wheel
around ‘what is wrong with us?’— their nightmare
a sleepless dark—no doctoring the spin.
II.
Ladies and gentlemen,
may we have your attention
as we review
the emergency procedures
on this Flight of Fancy.
love how this question is stated
saying ‘no’ won’t get you anywhere
There are six emergency exits—
two at the front, middle and back—
take a minute—
anything can happen
there’s no magic to misfortune
locate your nearest exit.
It may be behind you.
there may be answers looking back
finding them may not help your future
Should the cabin experience
a sudden loss of pressure,
information is no guarantee of assistance
note the objective third person
trying to sound considered
stay calm.
we’re equipped for crisis, just not prevention
Listen for instructions.
listen
we want to help
Oxygen masks will drop down
and should be placed like this.
but we have no special powers
See to yourself first
before you see to anyone else.
we can be selfish to save ourselves
good to have permission
In the unlikely event of emergency,
calling what could prompt all this action
an event
is like lightning being a little shock
leave your carry-on items behind.
Life jackets are located below your seats.
one size has never fit all
Follow emergency lighting
which makes anyone a little crazy
leading to exits.
we’ll skip mentioning that leaving your present location
may not end the emergency
We ask that you
also stow all carry-on baggage
as we are awaiting take off.
imagine trying to fly a spinning wheel
no more wacky than any of our other directives
something outdated applied to an immediate problem
The passenger safety information card
offers further instructions,
and is in your seat pocket.
this flimsy comic makes you help yourself
as it tells you what to do
how comforting
just nothing that keeps you from harm
Flight of Fancy
thanks you for choosing us.
plenty of ridiculous presumptions here
Welcome aboard.
obey and there will be no trouble
Enjoy your flight.
that’s just make believe
III.
Pester, pester, trouble fester,
calm’s tempter, patience tester,
prick and blister, sickly sting
throbbing to the senses bring:
thumping temples, seeping nose,
tasteless tongue and naked clothes,
falling feet and freighted legs,
spirit stuck with splintered pegs
a tent too weak to take the strain
of worried, wobbly days in pain.
Pester, pester, trouble fester,
calm’s tempter, patience tester,
seal with fear’s damning oration,
a prophecy of isolation.
IV.
Not rescue, just an interruption—
as Prince to Princess in the tale—
rouse me with welcome disruption.
Something to serve as sleep’s abruption,
sing past the dirge of dark travail,
not rescue, just an interruption.
Forced dormancy could bring eruption—
avoidance is a coffin nail—
rouse me with welcome disruption!
Kiss off the fear of care’s corruption—
shush pain’s tired fairy tale—
not rescue, just an interruption.
Maybe from past introduction
interest could play? Throw off the scales?
Rouse me with welcome disruption?
Curiosity—a new production—
to captivate freedom—not jail—
not rescue, just an interruption.
Quiet time under construction—
rising interest sates the pale—
rousing, this welcome disruption.
A fresh connection’s quick conduction—
change that lightens, gloom assails—
not rescue, just an interruption
rousing with welcome disruption.
***
Julie Morrison is a memoirist, poet, and short story writer. A grateful graduate of Seattle Pacific University’s MFA program, her prose is published in Barbed: A Memoir, the Los Angeles Review of Books, and The New Guard. Her poetry is published in Arizona Friend Trips: Stories from the Road, the 2020 Arizona Authors Association Literary Awards and the 2023 and 2024 San Diego Poetry Annual. Julie loves only two types of coffee: hot and free.
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