I walk in darkness 
beneath a fathomless blue, cold 
to the glare of a deceitful sun

I turn to nearby laughter,
a dark veil telescoping
the space between

I watch in numbness 
apart from myself, unable to touch reality 
from my two-dimensional void

I am a cardboard cut-out

A shadow puppet dancing
to a tune I can no longer hear

Would that I could snip the wires,
for just one breath…