Goodbye

Swimming amniotic, already
learning impermanence,
digits splayed in defiant wave,
precursor of goodbye.

They come and go, a human
classroom where everything
is taught by fist to chin;
we mouth the words in painful
recitation, stumbling on goodbye.

And when we fail the yearly tests,
consigned to corners wearing the dunce's
cap, the cuckold's horns and wattles,
traces of fingers on our arms and faces,
we suffer the sing song litany of goodbye.

Sneak through alleyways, along bright corridors
where people pray to sun, denying the dark
passages where losers run to say goodbye.

Warehouses of thrown away humanity,
shuffling, hands outstretched in mournful
calamity, trapped detention, shamble
gaited zombies searching for goodbye.

And I am the arrogant student, philosopher
of the dark arts, pins and needles and tiny dolls,
extracting vengeance for the word goodbye.