I felt the beast that sits within me grow.
Stretched, my edges thinning—
boundaries dissolving as I blurred, 
unable to see clearly through 
clouded eyes, and knew myself mortal.  
Buffeted by the onslaught
of my ever-coming end.

The hands on the clock march onward.
Their years make mockery of 
the seconds I myself have counted 
from their cracked and yellowed face.
The sum of all my breaths—
mere meagre seconds to 
the centuries contained within 
their wisdom.

The beast stirs—threatens to waken and
I quiet myself. Breathe deeply.

I hum a tune, a lullaby 
I only half-remember 
and do my best to soothe it back, 
once more to deepend slumber.

I feel its weight to shift and settle,
curled to rest once more against 
the pulsing structure of my heart.
Thumping eagerly against the edges
of consciousness.

Secure in the knowledge that
for now—
for in this moment only—


my death has been averted.