Poem :: Panoptes

Panoptes' eyes watching 
Lounge room window pausing 
Eyes darting for bicycled man's 
Random staccato movements 
Stuttering across the pane 
So much so the eyes strained

Previously he was seen 
Armed with a bat and scream 
Swung wild at a swooping 
Bird whose nest it was protecting
He was an angry purple 
Octopus spewed blue rumble

That day Panoptes laughed 
But not today, not today

The bicycled man borne
His future disguised in 
A brown A3 envelope 
Could time change the future?
Panoptes pondered but
Knew there was just no hope

Mathematics was a bore 
Shuddered cold to the core 
He stood there uninspiring
Mumble monotonously
Numbers and symbols 
The exam was a jumble 

Geography was terrible
Mentally unstable 
His father died recently
"Turn to page thirty three"
Hid behind the desk to mourn
Panoptes' heart was torn 

English was uninspiring
Found it soulfully tiring
As words were merely a jest
Mrs. Bristow was his best
But she went over the crest
Alone he was left 

Biology fell under duress
Shame! It made him depressed
It was his favourite
Just like maple syrup
A good teacher is the criterion
For a firm foundation  

Arts was his only hope
She extended his scope
Sfumato Cinquecento
Chiaroscuro Fresco
She showed him the world 
As an obtainable pearl 

He jumped at the sight of him
Bid adieu and closed the door 
Grabbed his future and clawed
To the o-Bahn tracks and 
He knew not the end
destination nor place to hide

Found solace in Museum 
Studied by glassed specimens
Their warm affinity
Held him closely
Offered gracious respite 
Away from his cruel life 

Alas, bravely in solitude
He braced his attitude
As Summer sun dazzled
His optics zapped and sizzled
When once they became sound
Climbed on a green lawn mound

Panopticon at work
Sketches of trees and quirks
The future could be paused 
Shadows metamorphosed 
Crawled creepily across 
Time temporary at loss

As paper ripped sutures
Severed went his future 
He cried faintly alone 
A whole year he bemoaned
By home time it was late
Father thought he was dead