Experience Machine

I.
Imagine stepping into my hollow tank 
your toes splaying against the smooth tile steps
you're wearing your best dress and a 
full face of makeup
Ketchup will never again plop onto the pale lace
mascara will never run again
The Experience Machine will never allow this.
So step into me.

II.
The technicians circle you as you ease 
your whispery bones into the tideless liquid
placing electrodes on every spot that betrays a pulse
This is the beginning
of an endless dream
the best you've ever had
You feel like a funny little astronaut 
as they pull a respirator over your nose
you imagine rocketing to the moon
there is a spaceship and enough freeze-dried ice cream 
for you to always have extra
I slosh with promises as you twitch your muscles 
into a calm
A whir begins, signaling a woman without a face to
clap fluffy headphones over your ears
unbidden, you start the countdown in your head
you 
     glide
          under
The door has latched shut
but you don't notice
I trace your heartbeat ringing through my glass walls
​excitedly
your ears straining into the deafness
Step into me.

III.
You wake up in silk
there is a tray of gouda, palmiers, and your favorite tea
simmering in a porcelain cup that never cools
or shatters 
there are real elephants on your porch
your porch stretches like a football field and 
it's the prettiest football field and you imagine 
you'll have time to learn the rules later
you imagine you are already the star quarterback and
you make up all the rules
I am stringing together dandelions and Christmas lights
that will sing for you if you touch them 
and you will touch them
Step into me.

IV.
maybe you'll swim later in the blue lake with soft
white sand
or the streets that have never seen a hungry knife or hail
you don't want to remember what those are so 
you forget the analogy you were making
I hug you closer it is almost gone
Step into me.

V.
you decide that you will nap
you aren't tired, but you close your eyes anyway
maybe you'll dream about your life before
maybe 
you won't dream at all

VI. 
A billion miles ago, another little girl gets lost in the Experience Institution
the lights have dimmed in the cool room 
the scientists have all gone to sleep
she skitters away from a beep in a machine and stumbles into me
peers into my glass panels and sees
pale lace and a full set of lashes
and Christmas lights 
runs the other way
looks back
​only once