Bending the darkness

`

 

Look at you cowering, haunted by fiction,

shapes at the window of menacing tone

Tearing your hope into shreds as you lie there,

gazing at ceilings and feeling alone

 

Afraid to put both of your feet on the carpet,

hands neath the bed will be slicing your skin

Each tiny noise a volcanic eruption,

stalking your mind, it’s about to begin

 

Puddles of stench line the gutters of nowhere,

terror the class that has taken a seat

Staring at clocks on the faces of buildings,

waiting for dark so their bellies may feast

 

Appetites strung on a line made of nightmares,

low in the middle from gathering weight

Clouds overhead cast a blanket of secrets,

hiding the moon in its delicate state

 

Claws on the ground carry wings carved of leather,

eyes crimson red, dripping stares at the door

Paint if you like, for an X tells them nothing,

only when feeding they’ll even the score

 

Shadows on avenues lurk past the railings,

low tenor moaning their late evening song

Hide in the corners, but still they will find you,

cry if you must for it won’t be too long

 

Peer from the covers, your fears they are waiting,

calling your name in an echoed refrain

Lapping reflections from water so stagnant,

remnants of filth tossed about in the rain

 

Know this my friend, in a term used defiant,

answers aren’t penned in some book on a shelf

No fancy title with gold-colored letters,

all that you need can be found in yourself

 

Break free these chains that are holding you tightly,

open your eyes, there is so much to see

Breathe in the air for the sun it is shining,

shake off the rust and be all you can be

 

Always there’ll be someone bending the darkness,

pulling and dragging each star from the sky

Show them your wings spun of pride woven fabric,

give them a smile, it is your turn to fly

 

You can beat anything you set your mind to,

no matter what someone else has to say

Hold your head high, watch the monsters now fleeing,

this is your time and today is your day

 

Author's Note

I thought I might post a darker one.

Reviews

[Re-Pete]

cool title. impressive write. such strong, confronting imagery. fear certainly can debilitate and box us in. i could feel the heaviness of binding, limiting chains along with every bit of this as i read. good stuff for sure. now i'll be afraid to turn off the light tonight and be alone with these thoughts ... :)

[willweb]

Ah, it will be okay...just hide under the covers until morning comes. Thanks Pete.

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

You can beat anything you set your mind to,
no matter what someone else has to say
Hold your head high, watch the monsters now fleeing,
this is your time and today is your day

Amazing end verse Will

Loved every word

My thought here
To not know the darkness is not to recognise the light I heard that somewhere in my reading or did I make it up who knows

Loved it Will

[willweb]

Thanks so much Julie. I am glad you liked this. Sometimes all we need is a little encouragment.

[Julie McCarthy (juliespenhere)]

Yes
Thanks Will have a nice night there
It’s early I woke at 5 ! Nearly an hour ago

[Soyam]

Through haunting verses, darkness portrayed, Emerges a spirit, unyielding and unswayed.

To reach the success of your life, u have to pass through the tunnel. And definitely tunnels are dark, even sometimes darker. But yes, definitely at the end, enlightenment of success is waiting there for you!

Keep going dude!

[willweb]

What a great comment, indeed, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

[Lisasview]

Oh so very well written Will... in its own way quite uplifting...not terribly dark.I ESPECIALLY LOVE THESE LINES...
Always there’ll be someone bending the darkness,
pulling and dragging each star from the sky
Show them your wings spun of pride woven fabric,
give them a smile, it is your turn to fly
Really special,
Lisa

[willweb]

Thanks so much Lisa. I appreciate your visit. I am thrilled you liked this one.

[Soren]

This poem starts out dark but ends on a sunbeam of hope and has an empowerment to it that leaves me looking for the break in the clouds. Full of great images "Puddles of stench line the gutters of nowhere," vivid and relatable.
"Appetites strung on a line made of nightmares,
low in the middle from gathering weight
Clouds overhead cast a blanket of secrets,
hiding the moon in its delicate state"
A great stanza with such nice metaphor. The X is such a dark symbol but is countered so well with the verse
"Always there’ll be someone bending the darkness,
pulling and dragging each star from the sky
Show them your wings spun of pride woven fabric,
give them a smile, it is your turn to fly"
Thanks for sharing Will

[willweb]

Thanks so much Soren, I am glad you liked this one so much. Yep, just me on my poetic soapbox telling those who fear to never give up hope and go for what they want. Glad you liked it.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Well, I disagree about the darkness. This is actually a very upbeat and optimistic poem. It is the wind beneath the wings of one weighted weary, a finger pointing in the direction to go. Well done.

[willweb]

Thank you so very much Linda. You always leave a smile on my page. I appreciate you my friend.

[Betty Hermelee]

This is beautifully dark Will... I love the strong ,menacing language, the build up of fear; the hidden secrets; afraid to appear; don't belittle yourself in the wake of agony and chaos; bend the darkness, try your best to flee from this evil state; one can do anything possible if you convince oneself to do it; "show them your wings", "hold your head high" and life will be worth living.
Wow, this is amazing, had to read it a few times, but yes dark, with some hope at the end....
Best, B

[willweb]

Thanks so much Betty and welcome back.
Yep, I am a firm believer that you can do anything you set your mind to, you just have to want to.

[Betty Hermelee]

good to be back and you're very welcome!
Best, B

[Miss Sharon]

(Hold your head high, watch the monsters now fleeing, this is your time and today is your day) This is a wonderful closure to your fabulous write! I enjoyed the every-other-line rhyme form as well. Good work! ~Sharon

[willweb]

Thank you so very much for your kindness. I appreciate your visit and kind words.

[Chris Shaw]

What a great title. Pulled me in straight away. Reminded me of the terrible nightmares I used to have when young and also being alone in the house overnight many years ago, when my other half worked away from home. Every sound, every shadow would have me on a state of alertness. Never been able to sleep well at night. I am still an insomniac though without the fears. Great read will.

Chris

[willweb]

Thankfully the nightmares are gone Chris. I have never really had nightmares to speak of, none that I remembered vividly or haunted me, so for that I consider myself lucky. I have known many who have. Thanks so much for stopping by to read.

[Neville]

You just managed to capture every single long drawn out micro-second of the journey I take on the way to work on those days when I am required to collect the two mobile cell phones, the torch, spare batteries and assorted box of tricks required to undertake a period of on call duty .. apart from that and the accompanying adrenaline rush, an impressive noir poem with a to die for title and no messin :)

[willweb]

Wow, thanks so much Neville. What a great comment. Here's to those nights!!!