i have felt
the dusk of life
scrape deeply in
my skin's surface
as death attempted
his harrowing blow
when i fell off my bike
on rugged pavement

blood streaked sideways
on highway eight
like a crayon rubbed hard
on an old tombstone
i felt my eyes
begin to weep
my consciousness sank
into the deep unknown

life did not flash
before my eyes
it filled all my senses
in a mashed potato blur
i rocked old stunts,
and not just on bikes
i also remembered
the stunts of life

my fork launched sick wheelies
over grandma's apple pie
my ears did a stoppie
as uncle joe's stereo played a zz top song
memories gunned sharp corners
through my bleeding head
like bikes in a thrilling race
as i orbited death

i soon came to
on the highway's side
memories still swirled
in the robin's egg sky

but i knew i was alive