Hemlocked Heart

Every step I take the universe laughs,
As she pulls me back to the beginning,
In a vicious, self defeating, doomed dance.

When the skies part to show my winning,
I am wound up and let down by the fate,
That sealed my misery at my frail grinning.

Empty and aching I lay in predestined wait,
Aware of my folly and unable to transform,
Weighed down by failure and my full slate.

Collecting bones in an unconvincing sandstorm,
Underqualified to laugh, dance or find divine chance,
Struggling, stuck, waiting to fail, wretch forewarned.