A Poem by Craig Kyzar

Wires Stripped Bare

Harder
Faster
Rougher
Thrusting ever-deeper into the mind
In the real world, I slowly fade
A tangible shadow of my digital self
Scare me
Hurt me
Push me past the brink
Her cries rain down in black and white
Fantasy is our new currency
Reality an unpalatable relic
Screams of zero and one
Tied and bound in binary
Submitting to illusion
The third dimension imposes fragile limits
Sensations no longer prized
A previously inescapable prison
Outside its walls the mind runs free
As the body goes limp and wanting
Scentless sex and senseless violence
Adrenaline rides raw on barebacked electrons
Until thoroughly spent and unfulfilled
A darker conquest calls

Craig Kyzar is an award-winning journalist and international attorney. After graduating from NYU Law School and enjoying eight years of legal practice in Manhattan, Craig is heavily involved in nonprofit work dedicated to enhancing children’s literacy skills and connecting economically disadvantaged youth with a life-changing love of reading.

Craig’s editorial columns and articles are regularly featured across several news outlets, providing uniquely provocative views on legal, political and humanitarian issues. His versatile poetry, personal essays and fictional work have been featured in national and international publications, including Recovering the Self, The WiFiles, Green Heritage News, Houston News Online and St. Augustine News.