Ate’s Gift

.

Sight fails me; I see only grays through gauze.

Everywhere I choose to gaze, slipping shades.

Certain atonement for delusive conceit;

Blindness granted, an obscure fitting gift,

Presented chameleon glimpses of the world.

Forced to touch words, not to craft, nor behold.

Once in a lifetime, yet so often ignored.

That one diamond chance, hidden, waiting…

Tastes, scents, mere disdainful chimeras,

Ashes and smoke, dust, blood’s copper tang,

Charnel house stench of rotting phrases,

Vanity’s harsh mocking laughter,

Cacophonous clatter all I can hear,

Violin etudes for sudden tone-deaf ear.

Once in a lifetime is all one receives.

One chance to overcome mediocrity.

Lost my touch, I can feel neither keys nor pen.

Ate’s sportive payment for my daring

Foolish attempts to write actual poetry.

Acute condescension, her chastising prerogative…

Hands sluggish; torpid, blundering tarantulas

Entrapped. Teased arachnids denied hunting.

Once in a lifetime, one Olympian chance…

Always passed by: a dreamer’s waste of time.