there was a time when everyone
had taken a step beyond strange
and settled into being unsettling
terrifying and given over to shaking
I stayed away shuddered and stayed there

in away it's safe

and over time barricades settled there
sunken and given over to depth
a step below set in place
they settled in and took to leaving
shifting everyone to the other side of strange

While I stayed away safe there in a way...  

Steven Minchin has studied at The Museum of Modern Art. He has published over 75 poems in Mad Swirl, Right Hand Pointing, Crack the Spine, Short, Fast and Deadly and numerous other publications.