When the city’s in trouble
beware the brooding hero
whose beacon burns inside his chest
to throw designs on nightly skies
to dazzle unprotected eyes
and wraps bleak wings of righteousness
about himself—as mask & shield
against life’s slings and arrows
Who knows what empty vials reside
within his bathroom cabinet
what history has shaped his mind
and which parameters define
the nature of the villain
Lock your doors and bolt your thoughts
encase your heart in blocks of lead
make sure you’ve bought the time to hide
for inmates rampage on the streets—
outside the joker’s running wild
and every night it’s Gotham.
Selected by Raymond HuffmanImage Adam Borkowski
