A poetic meditation
I.
The President of the United States stood and
waited to be shot dead
the crowd shifting like the desert sand
not a woman or a man
said
The President of the United States spoke for
the people and their friends
and they stood at the podium for
they had to get to the core
and
The President of the United States stares
still alive their eyes dead
of the media men there were scares
and the wind ruffles their hairs
when
II.
the day after i watched it on TV,
the attempt and subsequent failure
i went to bed with uneasy thoughts
in my first dream i was standing on a hill with the sky blue as it ever was and the grass a brilliant hue
there are mountains in the far distance
and theres two men on the hill
one strikes with a rock
one dies
one flees
in my next dream theres another man similar to the two but he's by a stream in a misty forest
he is dressed very simply, in loose white robes
he bleeds out slowly
as the armies of god approach, of all faiths
but he is true
III.
I went into work to begin the project.
Things sure aren't what they used to be around here.
I attend my post
I pour my coffee
I press the button
She screams
I attend my post
I pour my coffee
I press the button
She howls for the pain to cease
I attend my post
I pour my coffee
I press the button
She begs for death
I believe, he says, the experimentation is complete.
Please apply amnestic now.
Not long after that I take a break.
I gently walk through the grounds
We're by these mountains, rising tall and far into the sky
And they are speckled with these autumn trees bright as salamanders
And it's evening so the moon's just starting to rise over the horizon.
The soft violin concerto of the crickets soars like an eagle over the grass
Rising to that rising moon in symphonies from the heavens.
I could build a cabin here, I think
I could build a cabin.
IV.
And I was but there too when I saw the Lonely Wanderer stumble in.
And the people did rejoice, for he brought wondrous new gifts down upon them.
But old Shem.
He did not rejoice
"I reject the Lonely Wanderer and his heretic teachings
They are not the way of the Lord"
And the Lonely Wanderer whipped the crowd into a furious frenzy
Sending them to rain blows down upon Shem.
"He does not believe in my teachings
He is a false prophet and must die"
The people experienced a good harvest for forty days and nights
Until the Lonely Wanderer began his trek back to the north
To the shining lands of Charity
From whence he came
And the people were happy.
V.
Please state your name for the record.
SCP-XXXX-20.
Now
Why did you kill those farmers?
Of course not!
There weren’t any of the Ubula left
After the village was attacked by Mokèlé-mbèmbé.
I still regret not being able to bag that monster
When I had the chance.
It is a persistently elusive creature…
Interesting.
Well, you are obviously not on the moon.
You are in a facility operated by the Psychiatric Crisis Intervention Foundation.
It appears you have experienced a major delusional episode.
What do you remember from last night?
You know, there are some people out there who believe that,
If we wish something didn’t happen hard enough
It really didn’t happen.
Is there no one else there?
Many species of ant will
Accept other ants of the same species
Into their colonies
Even ones from the outside.
I have one last question for you today.
You mentioned the fortress in the background briefly
But could you elaborate more about it?
They were
disgusting…
VI.
I've been thinking about stories a lot recently.
They've been on my mind
And I've been noticing recently
Many of my own kind.
Ways that things differ
They weren't there before
Thirteen men huddle for warmth
As darkness turns to war.