Tricks Of The Astral Plane

Tricks Of The Astral Plane
© Surazeus
2025 09 03

Toward the furthest reaches of anywhere 
beyond ultimate coldness of the heart, 
Sylvia walks along car-busy roads 
to buy eggs and milk at the grocery store, 
aware that no one can see her real self 
though they look at her with camera eyes. 

Through fragile glass door of the grocery store 
with vine-woven basket on her crooked arm, 
Sylvia browses shelves of alien fruit 
grown in dank jungle of the hungry ghost, 
picking lemons, wheat flower, and gold pears 
to cook fresh meal for Doctor Frankenstein. 

Strange visions crowd her kaleidoscope eyes 
with dancing demons of the lower chakra 
that play nightmare tricks of the astral plane 
to gather hellish forces of the mind 
as squirming monsters of the snarling heart 
that materialize from weird memories. 

Amused at small red demon with gold eyes 
and four sharp horns curling from its egg skull, 
Sylvia hides snicker behind her hand 
as Pazuzu hops about on sharp claws 
and plays dirty antics on hapless shoppers 
who shriek in surprise at the unseen sprite. 

Walking back home with basket full of food 
as the world vanishes in sunset glow, 
Sylvia pauses on the rocky shore 
to gaze at eerie shimmer of the moon 
that tints clouds with unearthly silver light 
above buildings of the town that gleam gold. 

Alert with sudden shiver of stark fear 
at something lurking in shadow of time, 
Sylvia seems cute demon from the store 
emerge from glow of moonlight on the tree 
as tall gangly monster with bulging eyes 
that reaches long thin arms to snatch her neck. 

Patiently attentive to gusts of wind 
that tangle precise reverence of respect, 
Sylvia twirls around with leap of faith 
to grab the rainbow sword of honesty 
and slash mask of the demon with lithe care 
when she smacks the man with oak walking stick. 

Cautious at fraught error of holy ground 
described in manifesto of the wise, 
Sylvia calls police with her eye-phone 
who arrest the bleeding man for assault, 
then bakes pear pies with cinnamon and cloves 
for her demon to eat before he dies.