November 6, 2008

sleeper

back then
the lost kids
we played at being monsters
dragons
bears.
any beast
that had the power
to make us
bigger than life.
invincible.

from kids into boys
some came down
and learned to play more civil games.
still many remained
to stomp through the forests
and pounce from the trees
onto the innocent
unsuspecting
masses
sheep.

from boyhood into men
it became impossible
for most monsters to keep the faith.
appetites for destruction grew
and the cost was too much.
those that stuck it out learned quickly
that monsters and humans don't mix.
put them together
and somebody
is bound
to get
hurt.

over time fewer monsters
and then
fewer still.

these days it seems like
just this one
last beast
locked up in a cage
playing instead at being a man
but keeping one eye always open
for the game,
the chance to reek havoc,
or the occasional random meal.

chomp. stomp. smash. crash.

any combination will do.