primal slitherer, hunter of wellness

insidious

infiltrator of dreams

from which there is no escape

helpless

in the paralysis of sleep 

flick terror upon innocents, fork trauma

upon innocence

in silence but for the hiss—cease!

were there gods and goddesses

i would sacrifice

and supplicate and sing—sow my nightmares

with wildflowers, transform evil to eden

before the fall, before deviltry