the gods are gone

woman leans against the bus stop,
headphone hiss from a skater's trip hop,

I gasp,
like a child,
thrown to the waves,

I crumple,
like an old man punched,
too tired to defend himself,

I reach,
like an addict,
for the joy of what's killing me,

I pray,
to gods that are long gone,

we've been left to:
produce,
innovate,
humanize,
and re-value our "values,"

like beaten blacksmiths of a rusted and weathered guild,
to tear down and re-build,

so if the gods are gone,
is it wrong...
to feel a rescue coming on?