---

A wore down astronaut sits on a shaved concrete pillar in a lost city of ruins

Bent metal, piles of rubble

A canvas of destruction and idiocy

He takes off his helmet and his Halloween mask

And breathes the suspicious air

Remnants of space stir in his head

Different planets, places, pulsars

Two suns, three moons

Yellows and oranges and vapors

Memories rushing like a river

The crash was like no other

But he survived

And where was he now?

He finds a cemetery on the outside of the battered city

Somehow it is still green

Somehow there are still trees

The headstones still stand

Like teeth in a green mouth

He drops his tab of emergency acid

Sits down, back against a tree

Closes his eyes and tries to dream

But the wind is tarnished

The gold has mold

Eyes pop, the sky is pink

The sound of a calliope draws his curiosity

An ice cream parlor that makes music

The one that works there is a dusty human-like android

“What flavor today?” he asks, as he jitters and sparks

“Rainbow, man” the astronaut replies. “Make it rainbow in a waffle cone.”

The android goes to work carving and shaping

“I gave you an extra scoop since you seem so bedazzled.”

The astronaut sits at a table all alone near a window

It’s warm and quiet

He eats his ice cream as he looks out at the decimated day

The world swirls some colorful hail storm

He lets it buzz all around him

The midnight madness clock moves backward

‘Till life is reset

And he floats in space once more

Gravity all nonsense

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Aaron Echoes August: Editor, graphic artist, writer, and photographer. Author of The Apocalypse Pipe, a collection of some of his best poetry, flash fiction, and short stories. For your convenience, one click HERE will take you to a variety of online stores for you to choose from including Amazon, Kobo, Apple Books, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, and more! E-book and print editions available. Thanks for supporting independent artists.