No Cheese

and the man, who once were a boy
woke to find a couch nibbling
on the late night crackers left –
without cheese.

and the man, who once were a boy
saw a sign: EXIT, near an arrow
pointing left: the stage unlit
and no whispers.

and the man, who wished he were
that boy again,
found neither reassuring; the mice
scurried in the fading future dreamt.