Sunday, April 18, 2021

The Prince of Slumber

Tonight I call to you with music,

I want to see you in my dreams.

I want to tell you all the new things

I’ve learnt from plucking out your stings.


Tonight I summon you in hushed whispers,

Puzzle-piece you from memories,

To let you know how much I hate you

I want to see you in my dreams.


I have no memory of your voice now

But I still clearly hear your words.

I want to spit the truth back at you,

I want my tongue to cut like swords.


Tonight I’ll force you into my dreamscape,

I’ll wrestle you into my sleep.

So I can spill on you forgiveness.

So I can pull apart your seams.


I shall uproot that meek box garden

Where I was bound lifetimes ago.

I see the bars and taste the water

Of that grey room in summer's core.


Oh angel! how low you've fallen,

A bad dream calling from the depths.

I shall rename him Prince of Slumber.

Tonight I'll see you in my dreams.

The Gift of Sleep

Dear mother, father, 

I've grown tired

This world won't let me disappear.


When I was young I thought 

that I’d be dead by seventeen

But I kept following orders and now

Somehow I’m still here


It becomes increasingly difficult to follow orders

Because they want to convince themselves

That they’re good people, that “do what makes you happy” 

is the right thing to say, when even they don’t follow it themselves


You won’t just let me disappear

So tell me what you want from me! 

You want me to stick around, then give me orders

I’m sick of pretending I want to be here


There’s so much I love, people and things

That make me happy, but it’s not enough.

It’s not enough to justify another ten or fifty years

I don’t want it


They won’t just let me disappear

When I was young I thought that I’d be dead by seventeen

Now I’m twenty and I hope I’ll at least be dead by fifty

Please just let me disappear


How dare you call me selfish

When it was you who put me here

I don’t want to pay for someone to convince me

Please, fuck, just let me disappear.


You had no plan, why put me here?

If you love me, please, 

just let me disappear.