Enlightenment
Through darkened shadows
Clear visions
Reflections of stone
A heart in glorious shades of smoke
Master of illusion
Precise and unyielding
Cool breath and a steady heart
Poised within a mind
In constant dissension
Complex and beautiful
Determined to test limits
Hoping, against hope
To be enlightened
Through darkened shadows

And there she is. The reason for this altar. Decorating it just like Jesus in his cross. Her eyes open, looking down on me in an empty stare. Her body naked, clean, and pure, posing in front of a glowing, golden ring hanging from the ceiling. It is decorated with prayers, written in an ancient, secret, almost demonic, language. She is motionless, voiceless, lifeless.


   She was playing a part in the latest short film from a famed, young director. Her part was that of a shy, frightened girl in an abusive relationship, who wanted to end it before he ended her. In the script was written that she'd die by his hand. A passional crime comitted while she slept. Her life ended by a knife, still sticking out of the back of her lifeless body when it was found by her, now terrified, roommate.
   She had had a few other acting roles before this one, but this was the one that could launch her career. Sadly it would never come to be.
   When the time came to film the "discovery of the body" scene, the cast wasn't so sure about the story ending with the death of the protagonist. They felt it was too extreme for the message they were trying to share. They talked to the director, trying to change the death of the girl into nothing more than a violent fight between the couple. After much thought, the director agrees to change the script.
   But no one can change the script of fate.
   Once the script was re-written, ready to be filmed, the whole cast was called in to do so, but something was amiss. The lead actress hadn't come. Her answering machine had over 78 unheard messages. Her inbox full of unread e-mails titled Where are you?!.

  
   No one would know anything about her again. No one but me.

Three jobs, seven cats,
crooked glasses, and wet hair.
*(I know you want me.)

Run, run little girl,
Im only after your fears.
Hide, hide from the light.
I'll only eat your tears,
in the coldest, blackest
Night.

I'm not the hero.
I'm not here to save everyone.
I have fallen.
It feels so good to let go,
and let your demons roam.


Let me tell you a story,
and sell you a worry,
I'm never going home.
I'll always be in the clouds.
Dreaming. Terrible dreams.
I'll always want to conquer, to rule.
You'll never be anything to me,
but my *****. That's where I'm safe.

You can't hurt me anymore.
I feel pain but it doesnt reach me,
No longer, no more.
This life it is a bore.
Let me enlighten it.
Let me frighten it, by the seams.
Run, run, Little girl, little girl.
Your nothing but another of my dreams.
I'll never catch you but
I will always be chasing.
Hungry hungry,
voracious and deadly seeming.
Into the cracks, the crevices,
of your once friendly being.

I will make you all hot,
eating you from the inside out.
And then you'll get cold,
You'll walk right on out.
And I wont notice the difference.
Ill stay here, if only for a while,
Laying, thinking, realizing...
You were just a *****.
Little girl, little lamb.
I am greater now than a man.
And less than any one can.
Smile.

Behind closed doors they sleep
While in the night the tears are streaming
They dream of dragons and kings
Silently the shadows are creeping

Closer and closer they come
Grabbing hold of all that is good
Squeezing until the bleeding stops
Too numb for the pain to feel as it should

Never wanting to let go
Drained of all the things hope brings
Sharing dreams of yesterday
Lost in the night as the Cricket sings

a natural work of art
   unnaturally rearranged
delicate sensibilities
   under patterns of shadow

self-portrait of inertia
   depicting withdrawal
pursuit of recognition
   motionless in futility

muted colors of being
   imbalance in the spectrum
intrinsic inquisition
   casting quality of light

fruits of perseverance
   nourishment for survival
openness and acceptance
   creating spatial composition

flowers in heart's vase
   healing from suffering
light from obscurity
   still life with darkness

Paint for me a dream
Colored in hues of emotion
Steeped in love
And dusted in music