Thinking In The Dark

Comes the time

When work must end,

When games expire,

And the boundaries

Of social intercourse

Are set firm,

When shades are drawn,

Our heads can no longer

Remain upright,

We can at last retire

From all the sad

And unfulfilled

Anticipation of the day,

Snuff out the light,

At last be in

Firm equilibrium

With nature,

And lie alone,

In the ether,

With our thoughts unseen,

And there commune

With death,

Fence with sadness,

Joust with heartache,

Lay upon

That silent field of play,

All that we dare not

Set forth in daily life,

Hoping that before the dawn,

We may divest ourselves,

Of all the cares,

Impossible to take back

To the light.

For if we fail,

We'll carry this great burden

Back to the light,

The truth is that,

The darker forces,

Aren't beholden to us,

It's us beholden rather

To them,

And so they are to be

Respected,

Kept at arms length,

In the dark,

Not permitted out,

Lest our demons

Cross that boundary,

Where their presence

Will engender,

Fear and loathing,

Take control,

And drag us into

Endless grief.

And so,

It's in the dark,

Upon that silent,

Sightless grid,

We struggle with

Our demons,

Each and every one,

And never cry for help,

Lest we be forced to share

Our darkest parts with others.