the moment slips by in silence
like dying in your sleep
peripheral vision could save you if
the movement weren't so fleet
like the burning smell of flesh
before the brain records the heat
the flash of an explosion
the second before defeat
if Truth could sound a warning
instead of stealing in the night
if blunder would blaze like neon
or a Christmas tree with lights
if words spoken in certain sequence
were outlined in black and white
would these clues forecast
disaster within the ordinary life?
the shadow before the stranger
the yellow tint before the storm
the lighting before the thunder
the quiet harbingers that warn
if Time had a sense of Justice
could we go back and make it right?
if vigilance would protect us
could we sleep another night?
the edge of the blade
the black of the night
the sharp of the point
the twist of the knife
the gray of the cloud
the numb of the cold
the growl of the dog
the turn of the road
the howl of the wind
the weight of the train
the flip of the switch
the crack of the ice
the depth of the sea
the fuse of the bomb
the tick of the clock
the click of the lock
the slam of the door
the blunt of the blow
the end of the day
the shift of an eye
the pitch of the ship
the screech of the wheel
the slip of the tongue
the roll of the dice
the knot of the rope
the drop of the shoe
the hint of a lie
