The Down Side

ticking and clicking
this old clock has lost all meaning, 
my old body is barely breathing,
such a colossal amount of effort
to find yourself alone, don’t
worry too much, no one will
ever know just how empty you feel,
you’ve burnt yourself 
trying to feel something real

turn away from yesteryear
there’s nothing impaled 
within the needles of the past,
all those ships have sailed
your boats been torn apart,
I venture forth with no fear,
no thought of retaliation – 
‘the down side’
such a straight life harbors 
dull, derivative sterilisation