You Know

 

that chill of the spine

you know the one

crawling on its eight spindly legs

fuzzy feet tickling on their slow ascent

from your tailbone to your neck

sending earthquakes convulsing through you

do not let that disturb you

 

that feeling someone is watching

you know who is

in the edges of your peripheral you see them

bleeding tears, eyes glowing yellow

staring keenly like a cougar stalks its prey

looking over your shoulder to find an empty street

do not let that disturb you

 

that thing you just know

you know it well

though you never learned it from a book

why statues weep, when the flowers will die

how long dead men reach through the dirt

to place their hands around your throat

do not let that disturb you

 

that you know your death

you know it is coming

the where, the when, the how

lungs collapsing like a punctured old tire

drummer losing the beat and leaving the band

one final gasp towards the light

do not let that disturb you