say the signs stenciled across
the wing of the plane. Meaning this
is an edge, or danger— whether
the aircraft is at rest or in flight.
Such warnings anticipate the possible
before the actual, the impulse before
it materializes as the decision to move
in a certain direction. It means someone
thought of consequences others might not
have foreseen— and so there are neon-
colored guard rails, there are graded
ramps up the entrances to buildings.
Break glass in case of emergency, printed
across the fire extinguisher box affixed
to the wall. Alarm Bell, says the sign
above a hand-sized red button near
the stairwell. There are similar
devices that only certain individuals
can activate, if they perceive a threat
(whether the perception is correct or
the person was just kidding). Such devices
could start wars, could even nuke our entire
planet. In such cases, there isn’t a failsafe.
No moment after for saying Oops, my bad.
Purveyors of fine poetry since 2003.
