Hanging Down on Three

I slouch down;
back away,

Or drown along,the riptides,
that sweep past,
my grey old shore.

Harsh and malevolent they are, but-
they rip away parts of me,
on and on.

Swim-
and I shall,
into time's inherent drift.

Drown again in that dream
that haunts me forever?
Yes,
it plays again,-

Three strings count my fate,
Three, a meagre three.
When suddenly,

.......*Snap*.......

goes a string,

it hangs me down the cliff.
Lower, and deeper down.

The wind rattles.
A gaze up and I see faces...

"Laughter"

they laugh at my rue; I seethe.
Again,

...........*Snap*........

there goes another;
there is just one left now...

Lower I hang;
the laughter is loud,
I hear no more.

Down there lies death.
He sits in the void

......waiting......

.....counting......

.......*tick*.......

goes the minute hand by his watch.
down,
rushes the sand in the hourglass,

"No!"

Weak kicks and shrill cries
Rent the frigid air

Yet,
I hang there,
on the last string,
by the cliff.

The wind rattles again,

..........*Snap*..........
_______________Shravani & Shloka (a poem mostly by my friend)