Behind the Ferris Wheel

Along the boardwalk
My feet travel
Blue eyes discern–
An angry pair 
Both yelling–
 Neither listening

Screams fill the air
From roller coasters that go 
Upside down
Inside out–
Crunch 
Buttered popcorn tethered
 To the sole of my shoe–

Look up
Neon lights stare down at me
The safest ride in the carnival–
Colossal–
Radiating–
Prepossessing
And yet something beyond 
Catches my eye

There
Hiding in the depths of shadows
Only to be seen if one squints their eyes
Lies a man–
 Wrapped in purple garments 
As I approach 
He declares:

“I am a dream psychic 
Welcome to my booth
Have a seat–
If you dare
Though
 You should be apprised
I take in the stories of the night

I chew–
Swallow–
Digest
And minutes later
The contents are laid out on the table–
Rearranged and mind-altering

Some visions of mine satisfy–-
Visions that align with previous thoughts
Ones that tell you to take a leap in love or
Apologize to someone you’ve wronged 
Others gravely disappoint
Invasive revelations
That could awaken something–

You didn’t even know existed
Many clients are unwilling to accept their truth
It doesn’t matter–
I speak no lies

Why?
Become a dream teller–
 You ask”
I didn’t ask
But he sighs dramatically
And proceeds to enlighten me

“Maybe it was psychologist parents
Having to hold an answer other than “good.” 
To the daunting question:
‘How was your day?’
Or–
It could’ve been the trauma
The fact that dreams
Were my escape 
Yet they always had a message–
And never failed to relay it to me

I hear pink fluffy clouds
And think of a childhood–
Being violently ripped away at an early age
They tell me about a deep dark cave
And I see secrets–
Buried in the depths of their consciousness 

So tell me 
Lost soul
What do you wish to uncover?”

My heels turn on their axis 
Leaving a spark behind
As my legs take flight
I zip past the Ferris wheel
Beyond the popcorn 
And the no longer angry couple

I’m not ready
Not ready to look into my consciousness 
And pick through the dirty little secrets
That lie on the dark, wet floor
I’m not ready
Not ready to peer into my childhood
Reliving those days that felt like years

My feet lose the comfort of the ground
The neon Ferris wheel lights blur 
Into a thick, black
Screams and laughter combine to produce
Chaos in my ears
I wish it would all
Just–
Stop.