Paradis

Arise! Arise! Walls of stone,

Of iron and brick and all mortal rune.

Looms outside an eternal night,

Cold as bone, with darkness sewn.

A fortress around me now build,

A labyrinth, a drawbridge and a moat.

A pair of over-ears to hold it all out, 

The avarice, the lies and all worldly clout.

Open books wrinkle their spines,

Yellow, and soon loose pages.

All I ask is for two rooks

To castle and defend me for ages.

Fear, anger, sadness, joy and disgust,

Isn’t all well when inside doesn’t out?

Privy to thoughts and emotions none,

Tug my eyes and ears shut, shun them all and the one.

Through the weathered wall a face now peeked

Knocking and tapping, “Anyone there?” it screeched

Thoughts of all that the face could be: Brutus? Antony?

Or just a mirror with me? I know not who, maybe never will.

Flows water cold, down unwilling throat,

Flow tears down the cheeks of a wronged soul,

Powerless, remains he who failed

To give yearned solace to the one abandoned by fate.

A fortress around me now built,

A labyrinth, a drawbridge and a moat.

A mask on to hold it all in,

Thoughts, fears and all hopes within.

Arose all high, walls of stone,

Of iron and brick and all mortal rune.

Made for myself, a castle, a prison,

Cold as bone with darkness sewn.

“Yet, forward, you must, for all that’s dear

As Atlas for as long as you can bear.”

But, forward, can I? Even a step near

To all who are ahead, beyond the pier.

Or will it all be better to have me perish here.

Have all regrets and disappointments disappear.