The world collapses in ten minutes

"...a violent event controlled by political cowards."

They didn't think they were cowards. I imagine they thought what they were doing was their only recourse. Backed into a corner, options running out. Maybe that does make their actions cowardly. They were certainly afraid. Fear is a great motivator. I wasn't much afraid myself, being as far from the violence as I was. I'm not very motivated, coincidentally. Or not coincidentally.

I decided to frighten myself. To do something rash, to feel fear. To motivate myself. What I was motivating myself to do, I wasn't sure. I didn't much think it through, to be honest. I figured it would work itself out. Fear would motivate me to act in some manner that would be beneficial to myself.

It sounds silly to put it that way. It makes it seem like I didn't know what I was doing. Which is true, but who wants to acknowledge they're flying blind? Just put your head down and proceed. Pretend like you know what's happening, and things will work out for the better.

Unfortunately it doesn't always work out. It certainly didn't in this case, which I probably could have predicted if I had given it more than a moment's thought.

I never thought I could hurt so many people. I mean, the results astounded me. How could it do such terrible damage? I underestimated everything except my own abilities.

Whole grain

A spider sat on top of the muffin. I hoped the woman at the table would notice it herself, but of course she didn’t. It wasn’t a big spider, and I could tell it wasn’t a black widow or a brown recluse (the only two types of poisonous spider I can identify), so I didn’t say anything. I’m uncomfortable interrupting conversations.
   
The woman and her friend (also female) were discussing the television they had watched the night before. I had no idea what they were talking about.
   
The spider lifted one of his front legs in that oddly mechanical way spiders do and just kind of held it upright. It vibrated slightly from the wind of the woman’s breath or the air from the ventilation system, I wasn’t sure which. It almost looked like the spider was waving at something. Maybe spiders can be friendly, I thought.
   
I waved back, just because, and the woman noticed and glared at me. She probably thought I was trying to pick her up. She needn’t have worried; I wasn’t really attracted to her anyway, so there was no real risk. I was simply trying to be cordial to the possibly-waving spider.
   
Then she ate him.

Imperial haiku VI

A long-haired star rose
Lightning struck his father's tomb
October thirteenth

Rondel I

My lover has the reddest hair
Indeed, and fickl'est of moods.
At times she may seem coarse and rude,
Yet still I know of none so fair.

I must repeat that none compare,
though condescension she exudes.
My lover has the reddest hair
Indeed, and fickl'est of moods.

Both her heart and her womb are bare.
A brood? No gift, we each conclude.
And sympathetic attitudes,
For misanthropes, create a pair.
My lover has the reddest hair
Indeed, and fickl'est of moods.

Imperial haiku V

The cocks crow at night
Bleak, the number twenty-five
Protect me, Hecate

Imperial haiku IV

When Gaius gave the
Watchword, the conspirators
Splintered his jawbone

Imperial haiku III

Augustus, a feast
Where gods and goddesses dined
Food shortage, scandal