there once

was a self-righteous man

who built

himself a tall, open tower

from which

he would peer out over

his world

to search for his soul.

every day,

he would climb the stairs

and scour

the heavens for it;

sometimes,

he felt it was near.

in time,

it was too much for him,

and the

self-righteous man died.

in silence,

his soul flew from the roof

–photo by me