the eyes of david blaine

the eyes of david blaine
have haunted me
since our last encounter
via lincoln center's giant orb
and the magic of network t.v.

our brief rendezvous began
as i left a seafood restaurant
in key largo, florida
en route from one place, home

"oh guys!"
i shouted
"this is that bubble thing!"

his time underwater had just begun
and a room-full of misfits & employees
had gathered round the bar's only television set

skeptical
raucous
loud
captivated
we all watched in awe

i pulled up a chair
as matt
or lindsey
or roman
or maybe all three
headed towards the restrooms
preparing for our last leg home

but i sat
i wasn't going anywhere
the clock was ticking
the world was watching
and there was absolutely no pulling me away

as the minutes passed
and jaws fell closer and closer towards the floor
a calm took over my soul

he would do it
this magic man
he would prove the impossible

i believed in him
because of his brilliance
because of his willingness to risk it all
for the sake of art

it became clear at a certain point
that david blaine was not doing well
a deep, dangerous blue arrived in the corners of his face
an even deeper shiver took over his form

i was not familiar with the nature of this feat
i did not know that it involved locks and chains
but he went about the motions of untying himself
and i still very much believed

it was when i saw his eyes
the eyes of david blaine
quiver
shake
fight
refuse to give in
that i knew his time had come

tears beneath the water
was all his body could produce
when pushed to the brink of an unimaginable possibility

carried from the wet
saved
the eyes of david blaine
seemed weak
hopeless
embarrassed
destroyed

but i saw the eyes of a king that night
the eyes of a king reborn
from his womb of water
he was pulled by the jaws of life

magic man

the eyes of david blaine
may haunt me
but when they speak
i hear only
try
try
try
attempt the impossible
try
try
try
and you will never fail