The road ahead slithers
like a giant black serpent
in restless desert night
Fingers drum on the wheel
to the beat of his demons,
as hidden creatures howl
under the shroud of stygian sky
Years turned inside out
driving through unshaven city streets,
searching for the rainbow’s end –
just to find he’s just an extra
in a tragedy with 8 billion acts:
no standing ovations, no curtain calls
Overhead, my wings spread,
I drift content on cold currents –
a fresh kill clamped in my beak
Terry Chess's work has appeared in The Chiron Review, The Journal of Undiscovered Poets, A Glass of Wine with Edgar, and Quill & Parchment, among others. He lives in a Chicago suburb with his wife, and their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, "Charlie." When not writing, he collects rare books, plays chess, and is an avid soccer fan.