Snapping the Threads

Tickertape, the entire sky is a New Year’s prom—
Streamers ripple, pour:
cars, floats, crowds waving
grey-speckled from news reels.
Here’s a war time ceremony preceding
the main feature. Here is intermission,
a pause between acts…

Now real life resumes, paper to be filled.
Thread after thread, it’s a delicate balance,
an arachnid dangling to plunge
like Amelia Earhart.

We are all such creatures of valiant frailty.
The snapping is a reminder or perhaps trusting,
surrendering again to the agility of air…

Space carries the song of the Thrush.
Tungsten rivets brilliance, a single spotlight
from above under which the performer passes.

Flush curtains. Applause. The roses collected
to fade in a jar, back stage murmurs, a falling
softness curling round, let go—

Suspended spirits shower & the parade sparkles,
moving us through.

Stephen Mead is an Outsider multi-media artist and writer. Since the 1990s he’s been grateful to many editors for publishing his work in print zines and eventually online. He is also grateful to have managed to keep various day jobs for the Health Insurance. Currently he is resident artist/curator for The Chroma Museum, artistic renderings of LGBTQI historical figures, organizations and allies predominantly before Stonewall. Recent publications include Syndic, North of Oxford, and What Rough Beast.