soul is seared tho flesh is unscathed
by pain inflicted within my heart,
within my soul, behind my eyes.

perhaps, in time, you’ll see my hurt,
my pain within quiv’ring, young eyes;
strange innocence, ugly and waste
this mortal coiling, living death.

i, in life, am filled with fearing
for, in writing now to you, you
see my fate as ostinato
thro out to be my waking sleep
my death in life, my dark in light.

so as words form here on this page,
for you to be guided and safe,
i pray that you would understand
and not mourn for this troubled fate
for i cannot be what this is;
for i, this man so low, am doomed.