Michael Ashley

The YouTube gurus tell me to live in the moment

but how do you do that when there are so many catastrophes to ruminate on?

the ones I built up ahead of time
that I constructed brick by brick
scene by scene
until I could clearly see that anvil swaying above
on a thinning slither of rope

the ones which I lived in that moment 

the sharp edge of the anvil descending 
compressing the air above my head 
the skin slowly pressing itself into my skull
the tiny crack as bone enters flesh

right now here I am sat watching a YouTuber tell me
how I should live in the moment

running my hand down the rough upturned base
of the anvil

a dark reflective shadow 
its circumference pushing itself out across the floor

the warm gore gathered around
my naked toes