Carousel

All of my tokens consumed in the ride, Mounted on my stallion, a popinjay of lively colors, Sunlight glistens, inviting me to bask in its rays, As I cling to the cool steel like embracing a lover. Each moment the spectators pass me, Or am I the passerby – a casual acquaintance, Futile analysis just awakens cerebral juices, As I steal a piece of them to carry along my journey. Mirrors, once pulsating with endless laughter, Cast a dim reflection of a stranger hauntingly familiar, Something in the gaze, the turn of the lips, Reminders of a childhood friend buried in mind's recesses. I feel the collapse of my spirit as the ride's end nears, Just a small moment to reason with the Master Engineer, “Slow the rotations, curse the darkness that sends me homeward, I swear I'll be prudent – just one more token...maybe two...."