Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho…

(chanso)
 
The ninth hour’s watch, a belfry’s knell,  
In shat of wings that bolts like night.
The moon cut bands of cloud foretell
The prison stripes that bar my flight.
 
I settle in to engine’s throat,
Distract my life with others’ words,
Through crosshatch streets, asylum’s moat,
Hashtag – yourcrieswillnotbeheard.
 
The pull of LaLa’s dreamy run,
It lies, widespread, with opened arms.
With everyday, its lure begun
Ends quick in tightened noose alarm.
 
How long this silent vow’s sustain
Before my cell becomes this lack?
How many thoughtless hours remain,
Before all worthy thoughts pullback?
 
In double dotted unsigned lines,
The headlamp road’s my branding gate.
Like molten steel, seared touch refines
“Miles to go” – “nowhere” navigates.
 
Road ends in Starbuck’s strip-mall row,
Hi-Ho over the cliff I go…