9 protocol

1. Startled grouse and scraped knuckle sandwiches, this is my last meal. God’s only. Days before, spilled meager pine nuts, a crunch of grit that reminds one of woodin elementary. Sand in mouth and blood and teeth, nails and lips. God’s only. This is my last meal. Highly suspect social studies teacher between French Revolution lady gaga and cutting girls hair with safety scissors. My sister cried, and Rylee cried. With infinite and narrow goatee wisdom, he said, “all you’ll ever need to know about world politics you can learn on the playground” Now i see down. And through a chain-link barbed wire fence with all its barb’s rusted away. Is your doomsday about me? Gods I hope not – I really hope not.
2. Dead malls, whale falls, and carrion class carnivores. Your neck beard itches, as long as you’re alive – you’re hair as well, and so will your nails. And the cancers – all death that forgets how to die.
3. Duct tape over my socks, even over-er my broken foot, again the left one, again tight laces against out of place bone. Crow’s favorite snack are unsalted whole shell peanuts – it’s like a lil puzzle for em. Hell is other people, hell is a jocking stellar jay, i shit on your blue beauty. Besides you remind me of that cafe where all the baristas fuck each other. 
4. The smell of wheat – of hay and lavender. Flicking pine needles from check to cheek, and the giddy gulping of hoppy beer. You are dusk and murmuration – the color of violet and sap
5. Sleeping bag stirring Cold creeping tent fucks 
6. I heard the caw of a raven today, and then another. Walking up and out of a muddy treeline. As altitude and i climbed there was less motivation to capture these thoughtful clouds misting over these high switchbacks. This is for me then.  
7. Moleskin blisters and coral cuts which somehow refuse to fester. Beer is a poor antiseptic – better used for drinking. Similarly Marlboro 100’s make for poor dewormer, but it fills the belly with smoke and turns the legs to stone. Switchback to switchback to switchback, aid station to aid station to aid station. Iron maiden pinball triage. Careful now, most injuries happen on the way down from the mountain.
8. Wipe your ass with fresh hanging moss, it’s nature’s sponge, and it’s anti-bacterial. Avoid still water, be kind, say thank you more than sorry, and leave no trace
9.