Blade

I.

Catching the light,
a flash of brilliance
in a world of darkness,
cutting a clear path
through shadow and despair;
complications resolve themselves
into your perfect,
almost holy self.

How soon?
How long before I
cut the bonds that hold us,
taking you with me
to carve out a realm,
a sanctuary, an Eden,
leaving behind
the iron conventions,
the chains that others
use to bind us?

Set me free.
Pull me to you.
Light my darkness.
Be at my side.
Fortify me.
Be my blade.

II.

They call you cold, callous even,
say you have no tact, no subtlety,
taking what you want and
leaving pain and loss behind you.
I’d say not, see further.Bleeding in the mind
creates a pressure only
pain in others leaves assuaged;
I can understand that, feel it, use it,
see in you a strength for two
souls sharing journey time.
Be mine.
Come with me
out, away, beyond,
Set me free.
Fortify me.
Be my blade.

Transcendence

I strained too much, perhaps,
to capture the serenity,
tried too hard to set all aside,
lost a family, friends and job
through the ceaseless inner exploration
that I undertook at the expense
of sociability, social norms
and polite behaviour.
Society cast me out,
and in the void,
I found it.

I don’t care now.

The Dark Art

Seeker after truth,
poetry is but an art –
such sweet, dark poison!

A path through the night,
shining, guiding your soft feet
through myriad minds,

through numberless souls
and catharses uncounted –
public loves and pain.

Easy to trust in,
yet perilous to believe:
all art is fiction.

On the Side

I gave a damn – oh, how I tried!
Daily newly crucified
on the altar of your pride…
I contemplated suicide,
but I had sanity on the side.

But when I found out how you’d lied
something deep within me died,
so I retreated, misty-eyed,
and though it’s something you’d deride,
I’ll hold to sanity on the side.

You see, I’ve always had to hide
a kernel of Me deep inside,
a secret, daily magnified,
an alter ego glorified:
that’s my sanity on the side.

Ward and castle, fortified,
keeping feelings locked inside –
love and poison side by side.
You couldn’t reach me if you tried,
I’ve got sanity on the side.

I gave a damn – and how I cried
even before I knew you’d lied;
but nothing harms my other bride
the one that’s hidden deep inside –
my piece of sanity on the side.