I watch him lumber with ataxic gait
Right foot dragging, shackling the left
Hunkering down over artificial limbs
He shuffles his rigid vestigial legs
In microscopic increments
Searching the white light exit
=
He calls out to the conductor
In a raw dysphagic voice
No longer able to form words
Only a series of gagging whimpers
Horrible, this shrill barking
It is the sound of suffering
The sound now of my own heart
Aching, a wailing pulse
=
The ophidian body grinds to a halt
And the snake’s lips peel back
Revealing rows of rough
Venomous teeth, dripping green
Centimeters at a time the old man
Eases forward on his six spindly legs
A bleak audience immobile
=
Finally, a middle-aged Sikh
Reaches his hand out gently
And in a semi-awkward dervish
He frees the old man from
The gaping serpentine mouth
Returning to his seat, a saint
=
(I wrote this one on my really off day and I am just very uncertain about it.)
mindlovemisery 
No uncertainty necessary. Quite a journey. Vignettes. Hauntingly beautiful. I see the old veteran, war injured, trying to cross the body as less of a physical man. I see the saint. They live in my town. They live in yours. I watch for them.
Thank you so much =)
Love it…. Love how we all get three words and how we all show a different color! Great post… You don’t seem like you had an off day to me;)
Awww thank you so much L =)
I really like wine and words take on this. I had more fanciful imagery going on in my head… like an old fairy tale.
Oh? Do tell
Thought provoking for sure. I think the middle aged Sikh is the hero, saint, right? I can’t figure the snake thing though.
As always, thank you.
The snake is actually just a tram but some of them here are very long and sleek, I was just recounting an actual experience that I had that day
Yup, it gnaws at you! I must be a masochist: I like it!
=) I am glad you do
If only I wrote like this on an off day – fantastic setting of scene!
Awww that’s very sweet thank you
way too cool.
smiles.
Happy Potluck!
Thanks Jingle!