Depressing Poetry
Admission Price
I stepped into the belly of the beast this morning,
And felt it lurch under my feet, crawling
On its belly towards the tower of my liege.
My worn mercenary armour,
Was dented further, in the squeeze of bodies
That were shoved up against me;
A crush of flesh and blood and stink and sweat.
Like cattle we waited,
Tired eyes never meeting, sounds muted on our lips.
When I was released,
I watched another man,
Calling out from within.
His own armour was still shining, gleaming
Like the king’s own.
But his face showed too plainly,
The ravages of time and countless battles.
No one answered him,
And he fell silent,
Though he never looked away.
I thought, briefly, of reaching out,
But I turned and kept on trudging.
The beast began to crawl once more,
Taking him into the Dark Forevermore.
Stealing Lines
I tried to remember what life was like,
Before life ate up all dreams.
This road is long;
Sure, the woods are lovely dark and deep,
And yes, I have miles more to walk,
Before I go to sleep,
But this sometimes still feels,
Like it is no way for man to live,
Even if live it we must, or die trying.
It’s knowledge that wears on me,
Like an albatross around my neck,
Bloodying my flesh,
As it smooths out my bones.
I stepped into the belly of the beast this morning,
And felt it lurch under my feet, crawling
On its belly towards the tower of my liege.
My worn mercenary armour,
Was dented further, in the squeeze of bodies
That were shoved up against me;
A crush of flesh and blood and stink and sweat.
Like cattle we waited,
Tired eyes never meeting, sounds muted on our lips.
When I was released,
I watched another man,
Calling out from within.
His own armour was still shining, gleaming
Like the king’s own.
But his face showed too plainly,
The ravages of time and countless battles.
No one answered him,
And he fell silent,
Though he never looked away.
I thought, briefly, of reaching out,
But I turned and kept on trudging.
The beast began to crawl once more,
Taking him into the Dark Forevermore.
Stealing Lines
I tried to remember what life was like,
Before life ate up all dreams.
This road is long;
Sure, the woods are lovely dark and deep,
And yes, I have miles more to walk,
Before I go to sleep,
But this sometimes still feels,
Like it is no way for man to live,
Even if live it we must, or die trying.
It’s knowledge that wears on me,
Like an albatross around my neck,
Bloodying my flesh,
As it smooths out my bones.