To Tell the Truth

You can only go so far on anybody’s guess.

Your guess and mine are as good as it gets.

The dark corners that want to take over the world
Are lurking where we put them.

No getting around the truth
In your deck of lies.

If you thought you were a fortune teller
It wouldn’t be a big surprise.

Will the real nobody please stand up?

It’s no bargain let me tell you,
Though it’s dressed like one.

A feverish attempt to get at something
One can never get at
By definition.

The question was somehow disingenuous,
Another bad dream
About the afterlife.

“Are you never better than ‘okay’?”
“Am I obliged to be?”

The empty hat glowering on the umbrella stand
Knew that this was the real goodbye.