"Music of the Spheres" -- original artwork by Tony Bullion

Long nights
That creep and coil their way
toward the dawn
Reality that drips
from the spigot
despite all effotts
to seal the valve
counts the seconds in twisted rhythm
and echoes into lucid dreams
of flayed and broken things.

Windows locked and shuttered
against the burning of tomorrow
and ghosts that live
in childish pictures drawn
on yesterday's walls.

The doorbell rings and she trembles
and waits silently
for the echo to die into the stillness
"Go away, please, just go away."
she whispers into the darkened room,
and the sound of retreating footsteps
echoes the intensity
of pounding within her breast.

Candles and spoons
light the way into the welcome darkness
and the notes of the piper's song
swirl blue madness from the past.
She dances slowly,
dark hair falling forward
to cover darker eyes,
her body moving in sensual rhythm
to the music of the dead.

Dawn splinters into silver fragments
and disappears into smoke
and mirrors...

and she smiles........


phantom...(c) WLA 9-28-2000