Break Glass in Case of Emergency

Break Glass in Case of Emergency

Assembling a ship in a bottle,

piece by piece, with attention

and care, is a fascinating exercise.

I wonder how the ship feels about it.

Its component parts being tweezed

and squeezed into the glass display.

Upon completion the ship is a prisoner.

As a fully formed vessel, it will never leave

as long as the ship and bottle are intact.

To escape, breakage will be required.

The bottle does not know it is a prison.

The ship does not recognize its captivity.

Only a force outside the symbiotic delusion

can break the bond that neither understands.

That force also gets to pick sides in the separation.

Smash the bottle, and the ship is free unless

too much force is applied. Shake the bottle

and the ship is reduced to little broken pieces.

What’s left can be poured onto a countertop.

Some reassembly required if the ship is ever

expected to sail again and be free.

SMG