Veiled Mourning

we watched him frown
we watched him turn away
we watched him sigh
we watched him fade to grey

we saw him cry
we saw him crawl
we saw him keel
we saw him fall

we mourned his passing
we mourned his beauty bright
we mourned his presence
we mourned his spirit's light

all in that moment
all in that place
all in that shadow
all in that face

we knew he was dying
we knew he was failing
we knew he was fallen
we knew he was fading

though we did nothing
though we stood by
though we watched all
though we didn't cry

still he fought on
still he tried
still he struggled
still he died

Siren's Call

Walking empty streets
Not knowing the way
The future beneath my feet
Face turned to yesterday

Thinking it was all unfair
It must have been fate
That you were standing there
'Ere it was too late

I crashed into you unseeing
In this quiet place
Shaking my entire being
Though I never saw your face

I couldn't hear
When you spoke to me
Blinded by fear
I somehow couldn't see

But it was then that you said
That I should not be afraid
That I should look ahead
That my mistakes could be unmade

I should have been listening
I should have seen
You were all I was missing
All that might have been

Between Darkness and Flame

I wrote what follows for fun; it may or may not appear in my book and will likely undergo serious rewrites when/if it does. Just throwing this out there to say that the show is indeed still on.



It was the lone light of a candle that finally broke the darkness, sinuous shadows scattering wildly before the flickering flame. The light was so bright, after being blinded by the blackness, that she could not endure it, instead looking away with slitted eyes to assess the state of her body. Pain throbbed through her ankles in dull thrusts as if the iron manacles that encircled them were really serrated knives sawing through her flesh. Dark red rivulets oozed out from beneath the manacles to mingle with the dried crust of old blood. She could feel the weakness in her limbs. She struggled grimly to pull herself together, to sit up and face the candlebearer with stoic defiance, but it seemed that her body would not respond to her will. Nausea gripped her and she retched, though nothing came up but air. She collapsed on her side, breathing heavily. Still, she tried to face her tormentor. With as much feeble strength as she could muster, she tried to roll onto her back so she could see him. Sudden, harsh, derisive laughter greeted her ears, as the pain of a heavy blow hammered her head, followed by the return of sweet, merciful darkness.

It felt like an eternity had passed, but the candlelight was still there when she awoke once more, though much dimmer. From where she lay, sprawled on her side, she could see the candle sitting on the stone floor, burning low and guttering. Her head pounded painfully, echoing the throbbing in her ankles, so it was some time before the implications of the candle's presence sank in. She froze. A voice hissed from the darkness behind her.

"Where isss Nashhhina Arisssana? Where isss the Shhhadowsssong?"

Copyright Ryan Adams, October 12, 2008 (oh yes, i take this very seriously)

Hiatus

The Thesis keeps me busy.
Poetry and writing shall come again.
Fear not.

sunrise

willowy branches
dappled in shadow
sparkling with light
in the mellow dew
of morning's mist

lost in thoughts

sitting by himself
in a lonely corner
eyes upon the ceiling
counting the cracks
sunbeams cross the floor
as time slowly passes
he watches the dust
float through the air
bones ache and groan
but still he sits alone

a drop in the ocean

she sat alone upon the bluff
looking out across the sea
a song did issue from her lips
of sorrow soft and sweet
teardrops fell from her cheeks
to mingle far below
with salty waves and ocean spray
to drown in the deep