Lessons from Mice and Flies

Lessons from mice and flies

Even flies were snickering last night
As they buzzed at my window to the drum of the rain
Knowing, better than I ever might
That the devil makes work for an idle brain

The dead dust in the air mocked the collapse
Of my paper morality and imagined restrain
As it settled on my floor with the knowledge perhaps
That I’m just one more fucker, one more dealer in pain

The deeds of the week sank heavy into my guts
No justifications, no hang-ons, no buts
Just the bed that I made to lie in
I fell into a troubled and uneasy sleep…
In my dream I was walking over and over into the same brick wall
With a bottle of cheap red wine in my hand and only thought-fragments in my head
A mouse ran up to me and introduced himself saying
“Hello my name is John Stuart Mill”
“Don’t worry too much that I’m a mouse that can speak”
“What’s more to the point is you; and how you’re weak”
My dream-self started to sob a little bit
But John the mouse weren’t havin’ none of that shit
He said “Stop crying Alex that won’t help at all”
“You’ll just keep on walking into this same brick wall”
Until you get it through your head that you affect those around you
Particularly the ones you love particularly those that found you
In this whole human carnival they’ve accredited you some worth
So son, please remember you’re not the only one on this earth

I woke up it was morning the flies were nowhere to be seen
I guess they must have faded, as the mouse did with the dream
Grabbed my cheap wine by the bottleneck and poured that shit away
Then I walked out my door for the better new day.