I always begin the day with a bowl
of redemption and a banana.
For a little while my mind is big
enough to contain emptiness.  

Then lizards and snakes wake in
hidden glades from where they toss
toys and hand grenades that make
me angry before I even see why.  

My objections condense to a
surly growl that follows me as I
chase my tail and flail at ghosts
inflaming my mind and find  

at the end of the day’s race
I’m still in the starting block