2. The Shadows

“I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.” ― Edgar Allan Poe

There’s that little dark feeling

Lurking in the corner of my mind,

My thoughts tiptoe around it

Afraid to wake it, to stir it,

To call upon the shadows,

Being around it makes me shiver,

A fever creeping through my veins.

 

Sometimes it’s red and pulsing,

Full of hate and anger,

Ready to explode,

A dormant volcano inside my head,

And underneath the heat

Of lava, that flows in flames

Searching for a way out, to burst,

 

It flies and cries like the raven,

Crawls and gnaws like rodents on my soul,

I put my hands deep into my pockets,

Fists denying what the sounds

Coming from the shadows of that corner

Are demanding of my body,

A fight that one day I will lose for sure,

 

How can I escape these noises

That drive me mad

But to let it overwhelm my senses.

 

© Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere

14/02/2016

 

music: www.bensound.com

 

Author's Note

Reviews

[TheRaven]

Hmm, from what I've read I feel like your later pieces among this series are superior than those from the beginning. I don't know, like you seemed to get a sense of layering and veiling your metaphors a bit better. At times this struck far too direct, and repeated an idea too often especially in regards to the volcano ready to burst. Volcanic eruption also feels out of place with the title and the concept of a ticking, tapping shadow gnawing away at us like a rodent does to a rope. Get what I mean?

I liked this (and it reads great from the audio, may I borrow your voice for a month?). But, you've definitely gotten better after this one. There's work to be done editing here.

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

Thank you for the review and the big compliment about my voice. :) Rudi

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

Will keep the comments in my mind if I publish this on paper sometime. :)

[Cassie]

This is really really good Rudi. Sometimes thoughts tiptoe around my mind and find their way in my mind, bad thoughts and then I have to shoot them back so that they go back where they are from

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

Thank you, Cassie, for reading and commenting. Have a good weekend. :) Rudi

[mattavelli]

That's an interesting situation, to see madness in yourself, trying to contain it. Its probably best to avoid crowds. Haha

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

That's so true, Matt. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Glad to read your comment. :) Rudi

[Coyote Poetry]

Very nice use of words and photo.
"How can I escape these noises
That drive me mad
But to let it overwhelm my senses."
I could feel the madness in the thoughts. Thank you Rudi for sharing the excellent words.
Coyote

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

Thank you, John, for your appreciating words. :) Rudi

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome my friend.

[emmajoy]

Emotions are rising, dark thoughts and sights nudging at your mind.. Your poem's building steam, you're using quite fine meter too, takes some doing.. in fact there's a a touch of EA Poe..

[Rudi J.P. Lejaeghere]

Thank you for reading and the nice comment. Means a great deal to me. :) Rudi