Song of an Apocalypse

The bugs’ skitter-scatter steps

are easier to track than the fidgets of my thoughts.

It’s simpler to eat them whole too.

Memories give me indigestion

and their taste lingers unpleasantly.

Never mind, I’ve been told

I’m too crazy to remember.

Except that I do
remember

the world when I was young.

I had a theme song then

for those daily apocalypses

I was told would pass when I got older.

But an Armageddon came,

that left me to gather

the eggshell fragments of my mind.

Even imperfectly reassembled,

with cracks large enough

to let maggots dance through,

I haven’t forgotten

I wanted to be a light

for the ones that came after me.

Broken as I am,

I might be the only adult left

who remembers

that beautiful horror of youth

and wants to reassure them

this can be survived

even with a mouth full of spiders.  

Liner Notes for this Groove: This poem was created for the very last (sob!) prompt at Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads, Play it Again Toads. I chose Kerry Says Find Our Poetic Voice. I knew I wanted to go with one of my "nerd poems" (poetry based on something I'm a fan of), but it took a bit to decide who's voice to go with. 

In the end I decided on going with one of my newer fandoms, the Netflix series Daybreak, which is a tongue in check look at the apocalypse with an 80's John Hughes-like tone to the whole thing (Matthew Broderick as the out of touch principal is an absolute delight). The character I chose to speak through was Miss Crumble a.k.a. The Witch.

Miss Crumble before the apocalypse

Miss Crumble after the apocalypse (yep, those are maggots)

If you followed the link to the trailer, you'll see that the apocalypse killed off most of the adults or made them into flesh eating zombies. Somehow, Miss Crumble came out of it... different. I don't want to give too many spoilers, but suffice it to say I think it's good that the kids have some adult guidance and concern in their lives, even if that adult is fairly bonkers.

Song choice:

Non spoilery one - Sing Your Life by Morrissey
Somewhat spoilery (but super pretty) - Sing Your Life sung by Miss Crumble and Angelica 

Thank you Imaginary Gardens with Real Toads, for being so inspiring right up until the end. I will miss you.