Monsters

when the lights go out
and silence descends
when sleep is beckoned 
at night's end
when the thoughts of day
are subdued
pushed down
or reviewed
drifting off
to be renewed
they come out to play
like deadly warriors do

in those shadows
their sharp edges softened
they entreat me gently
their voices often
telling 
selling tales
untrue
with words so raw
and coloured
drizzled with varied hues
of truth
their propaganda
imbued
with tangible threads 
of veritas
that draw me in
to hold me kiss me
caress me
in the end 
only to mess me
delivered with such gravitas
that i must listen
wishing 
to be left alone
those monstrous thoughts
grown
the moans of beasts
of burdens
of herds of 
persons 
unheard
words
whispered 
growled
out loud
that only i can hear
right here
right now
the monsters awaken
they have taken
the piece
from me, of me.

the monsters awoken
they have spoken
come out to play
they say
they say
come out to play

these are the monsters 
that come to visit
in those quiet times
i feel their spirits
invoking
cajoling
drawing out 
the darkness from within
seeking those corners 
and hidden spaces
the places 
where no one knows
the faces i don't show
shadows among the shadows
claws from paws
fangs from jaws
gnashing clashing smashing
silence shattered
no words needed
none spoken
the stillness cracked
the quiet broken

the monsters awoken
they have spoken
come out to play
they say
they say
come out to play

And so I do.

bit by bit teased from within
the outer shell cracked
the change begins
i see their toothy grins
a trembling hand 
reaches out
they grasp and hold
pull and tug
the cuts and bites
flesh sliced raw
tearing the cloak
but instead of lightness
darkness broke
through every inch of me
bathing my being 
now set free
to be what i am 
and what i see
in those quiet moments
i've come to be

the monsters awoken
they have spoken
come out to play
they say
they say
come out to play

heeding their heady calls
i fall 
i fall
for their games
the fire untamed
rises 
a phoenix
from the ashes
reborn
a blackened unicorn
hooves up high, 
rearing
ready to strike
from dark skies
lightening
splitting the night
blurring wrong from right
the load lifted 
shifted
my spine unbent
repent
repent
they say
their saccharine voices
syrupy sweet
coating me 
impervious armour
impenetrable
head to feet

the monsters awoken
they have spoken
come out to play
they say
they say
come out to play

And play I do.

overcome
my thoughts run true
a clarity strikes
from out of the blue
plucked into existence
from internal revue
the monsters in real life
are not the monsters 
under my bed 
they're not the ones 
who lurk in shadows
dark corners
or in atomic war heads
the scariest of them all
are those monsters 
that live in my head.

Photo by Dan Burton on Unsplash