-- A Familiar Strangeness --

John Herlihy

Feeling uncomfortable in light of the moon,

A lonely feeling coming from an empty room.

Feeling so out of place even when at home,

A black rose amid all those pink roses grown.

To see the fox behind the face of a friend,

An accident waiting to happen beyond the bend.

Having dreams you know will never happen,

Seeing a thing ripe you know will turn rotten.

A unicorn seen running thru the valley light,

Centaurs galloping through the darkness of night.

Creepy feeling of your shadow, being followed,

That sinking feeling in the heart of being hollowed.

Knowing something will happen we can’t prevent,

A false compliment that you know you resent.

Far too much happens with that familiar strangeness,

A voice in the wind, a creak in the stairs, blameless.

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(c) John Herlihy 13 February 2020