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Jun 2014 · 400
Totem
Jago Lantz Jun 2014
They took me to the mountain top
And lowered me to the Earth
A hand above my eyes descended
Whilst my heart was made to stop

"A man you could be," said the dark
"Or a raging beast"
I swallowed down my fear and smiled
"Venture on, my humble Priest"

The hand shrouded my sight quickly
As the other moved to draw my soul
It howled and cried upon its release
A torment that made me feel rather sickly

"The wings of a bird do ruffle near my ear"
Still, I shook my head
To be a symbol of freedom was pleasant indeed
But, in truth, I would have been better off dead

"I am a fickle creature--neither man nor bird"
My soul shone brightly amidst the shadows
The hand lifted away from my steadfast gaze
"I am a predator, and one that is beautifully furred"

"Very well," said he in a merry voice
"I know what to make of you yet"
With a spark and a crack I found myself awake
"My son, I have fulfilled my debt"
Jun 2014 · 575
Flotsam
Jago Lantz Jun 2014
The ash of our brothers is tainted with rust
That arises from our endless greed, envy, and lust
The hands we join feel so big and strong
In reality, though, they're hollow and wrong

The greed is assembled from a grave misconception
The eyes are the body's main guide to perception
We don't think about what's considered good or bad
Instead, we choose only what makes us feel glad

Envy is a bubbling substance beneath the skin
That turns us green and against our kin
If someone's happiness can tarnish another's pleasure
Then we see ourselves as unable to measure

Lust is the third and most confounding blunder
It wrecks our hearts and tears iron bonds asunder
Thus, without those connections we lose our heads
And leave our paths broken, our innocence dead

The Earth is a ship, our guide to repetitive living
It revolves for us, so thankful and forgiving
Within its dips and rises we strive everyday
Allowing its kindness to brush all our worries away

But what we offer in return is no more than unfair
One would think that we didn't even care
For a world that should be cherished--glorified as awesome
We have left it broken, a lonely, saddened flotsam
Give back to Mother Earth :)
Apr 2014 · 415
What's in a Name
Jago Lantz Apr 2014
She calls me thunder when the clouds turn gray
When the world is shaken and molded like clay
She calls me rain when the dirt turns to mud
When rivers teem and lakes begin to flood

What's in a name, oh valiant beholder
You who is wiser, taller, and older
Your eyes are so sad and filled with despair
Yet I can still see some happiness there

He calls me Atlas when I hold up the Earth
Proving that I'm shouldering more than I'm worth
He calls me Poseidon when I manage the seas
Rolling the tides to and fro with ease

What's in a name, oh valiant beholder
You who is dimmer, smaller, and colder
Your eyes are so wide and brimming with fear
Yet I can still hear your silent jeers

You call me savior when I answer your prayer
Trying to show you that life can be fair
You call me evil when I leave you in the dark
Hoping that someday you will ignite that spark

So, what's in a name, oh valiant beholder
You who is stronger, kinder, and bolder
You called me many things, the being you awed
But in the end I'm only ever just called God
Jan 2014 · 1.1k
Coming to Terms
Jago Lantz Jan 2014
If summer’s green can be described as beautiful, then the winter of today,
with all its glittering snow and cold sunlight,
shall be called breath-taking.
I have been struck by the urge to create something in the act of looking out my window.
I wish to make something worthwhile, impactful, and awe-inspiring.
So, I now find myself writing whilst listening to soul-shaking melodies
that of which feign to be the elusive muse to my drifting mind.
As of recent I have found myself being seduced by the idea of fiction.
To be either a part of a surreal world myself or to forge one,
playing as a petty God to a non-existing universe, both appeal to me,
though the latter is sorrowfully more likely to occur than the former.
I wish to be on days like this one,
yet on dismal, cloudy days or excessively-bright days, I desire not to.
It has not escaped my notice that my mental-state has been changing as of late.
I’m no longer sure of who I’m supposed to be or who I want to be.
Am I man or woman?
Human or animal?
And are humans not animals by nature?
I think to myself, but then I look out the window again,
at the vast expanse of impossible, wind-swept blankets of snow,
and I forget.
Living isn’t a choice.
Nor is death.
Both are born of the natural order of simply existing,
just as we are.
There is no such thing as fate or destiny,
but the path spread out beneath our feet is just as real as the body harboring one’s soul.
Knowing where to go is a delusion in the thought process of an overconfident individual;
not knowing where to go is the same as being lost.
There’s no definite course.
No map or guide can lead us in the right or wrong direction.
We are creatures driven by instincts and gifted with the ability to imagine,
so we press on in hopes of further indulging ourselves in the mystery that is everything.
“I want to create.”
Yet, the snow is melting; the clouds are darkening.
Alas, I have forgotten.
Summer’s green is beckoning to my uneasy conscience.
Still, there exists a hesitance that keeps my eyes drawn to the dying elegance before me.
My breath fogs the chilled glass, obscuring my view as well as my distant fantasies.
Unfortunately, remembering is all too easy when I least desire it to be so.
Reality is oh, so ugly.
Nature’s grace is corrupted by that which fuels my yearning to create.
“But I want to create.”
What good will come out of it, though?
Recognition, perhaps.
Satisfaction, most certainly.
However, the path beneath my feet is much too short for such humble reasons to be offered.
Now, I must admit, I have been left utterly dumbstruck.
A song, bright and cheerful, has suddenly erupted
from amidst the mellow slurring of the desolate voices from before.
The fog of my breath slowly dissipates,
and I am yet again amazed by the power of the human mind.
Why is it that I am now just content with simply observing?
Whence before I wished so strongly to participate,
I now only feel appreciation towards the jovial air surrounding me.
I never decidedly consented to such a change of mood,
but I imagine it is a result of something born by nature,
something I won’t be able to understand
due to the destructive capabilities that I, as an intellectual entity, possess.
Again, I return my attention to the outside world.
The sun has dipped below the horizon,
taking with it the glittering beauty of light reflecting off of the surface of a myriad of ice flakes.
I remain immobile as another dismal tune starts up again.
Fields of waving, emerald blades dance behind my closed lids.
Then I remember…
That I have forgotten.
Such are the despairing thoughts of one who has born witness to the uncertainty
and unprecedented fear that his or her own kind share of the unknown.
What a lonely existence.
“I merely wish to be.”
And yet…I know it will snow again tomorrow.
More of a prose piece than a poem, I'd say; however, I couldn't bring myself to label it so. It's simply a stroke of insight.
Nov 2013 · 1.1k
Arbitrary Thought
Jago Lantz Nov 2013
My fingers slide across ancient pages
Flipping mindlessly through the ages
And I can't help but tremble in the rage
That has long-since locked man into his cage

Words are wavering voices portrayed in ink
That allow one to float or to further sink
Into a mindset where one can only think
About how well then and now remain in sync

See, I love indulging myself in the unrealistic
The arbitrary plots that may seem a bit sadistic
Furthermore, I'm a "so-called" mystic
Who has an uncanny fondness of the surrealistic

So, empathy and mercy are out of the question
For, I face all challenges with an unyielding aggression
That applies to not only one's overall impression
But to that emotion which forces a mind into depression

I ignore the hostile words that are silently spoken
The fragile hearts of my friends that are steadily broken
Because I'm just a spirit that's unwilling to be woken
Into a world where the afterlife becomes one's precious token

Who would want to live in such a sad, sorry way
Surrounded by people who've got nothing better to say
Other than whether they're going to leave or to stay
In retrospect, well, that makes it all seem just plain and gray

That's why I often find myself here
Be it the result of loneliness, uncertainty, or even fear
This is the one place I can always disappear
And construct my own world that's always crystal-clear

So yeah, I guess you could say I'm a fool
Many may think that I'm really uncool
But, why should I care about the dissatisfaction of tools
The universe is my sanctum, and imagination my school
~There's no one better to be than yourself~
Nov 2013 · 709
Life is but a Dream
Jago Lantz Nov 2013
Row, row, row your boat
Down the danger-riddled moat
Throwing caution to the wind
Along with a conscious that hath sinned

Gently down that stream you go
Watching the current twist and flow
You mull upon the good, old days
Whilst falling into a a darkened haze

Merrily, you look to the sky
Sighing as clouds pass you by
The oar grows heavy in your hands
As you ruefully recall distant lands

Merrily, you edge closer to the back
Allowing tired fingers a little slack
You hardly notice as the lifeline is swallowed
Into a a torrent that has made your mind hollow

Merrily, you drop your timid head
And gaze into water soon-colored red
As the sun sinks for a final time
Unwilling to make another climb

Merrily, you hum His hymns
Whilst preparing for the fatal swim
That's sure to lead you far away
To a place where you can no longer stray

All too soon the boat moves wearily
Drifting alone along a gentle stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a simple dream
Sep 2013 · 637
Raging Phobia
Jago Lantz Sep 2013
I'll finally admit that I've lost my mind
For all around me I hear them say
That my sense of reason is much too kind
And that I need to keep it well at bay

I'm not good and I'm not bad
And I'm telling you that it's rather sad
To be this alone with a single voice
Reminding me that I've only got one choice

Paint the world with your darkened dreams
And show them what you intend to do
Prove that your world is tearing at the seams
And that all you need is a little happy glue

The voice, it tells me I'm not good
It rasps out gratingly that I should
Fall into its welcoming arms
And surrender to its familiar charms

But I know deep down who I really am
I'm a child still learning to take control
Of a life that feels like a strenuous exam
Still unwilling to commit my soul

So that voice, it tells me that I'm really bad
That I've seriously gone completely mad
But that's alright, because I am who I want to be
Everything that makes this person that is me

Paranoia within the world
Can only go as far as we allow
And our thoughts that have become so whorled
Are a raging phobia that will merely show us how
Sep 2013 · 488
Tainted Hands
Jago Lantz Sep 2013
There is a side that he refuses to show
With fangs, claws, and a menacing glare
A beast he is called, yet I love him so
For I shall always be his to ensnare

Nevertheless, all he sees are paws
All furry and covered in dirt
So, everyday he opens his jaws
And howls at the sky in hurt

But paws, I tell him, can still embrace
They can hold me near and away from hate
That brews within the beats that lustfully chase
Until they find him instead, and suffer a ****** fate

Paws that protect can't possibly be tainted
By the gore that he sees through slitted eyes
All he needs are hands to be painted
In order to reveal a man in disguise

But I love the beast that he tries to hide
From the tops of tufted ears to the tip of his tail
I'd enjoy much less the company of tainted hands that lied
Than that of ***** paws that I know will always prevail
Sep 2013 · 549
To Live or to Die
Jago Lantz Sep 2013
There are as many reasons to stay alive
As there are ways for one to give up and die
So, it would be senseless not to go and try
To not let this wonderful day pass you by

One of them is because we're here
Trying our best with smiles and cheer
To make the meaning of living clear
And wipe away your nonexistent fear  

But you refuse to hear our desperate pleas
While brushing us by with practiced ease
Boy, all we want is for you to be pleased
And not have you fall in shame to your knees

It hurts to watch you wallow in pain
While questioning whether you are still sane
Girl, we can swear death offers no gain
Other than to experience an existence in vain

Life is the ultimate gift that's granted
To every single animal and tree that's planted
So, it's only right for God's children to be enchanted
With a split mind caught between straight and slanted

Whether you're happy or sad
Whether you're a son or a dad
A child that's good or one that's bad
You were born with permission to forever be glad

Boys and girls we beg you so
To hold on tight and not let go
It's unbearably hard, this we know
But carry on and your spirit will glow
A bit of self-assurance mixed in with some encouraging for those who are uncertain with where they stand, I suppose~
Sep 2013 · 785
Right and Wrong
Jago Lantz Sep 2013
Clarification on reality is such a joke
No one has the right to tell you you're broke
But, truth be told, you're a withering bloke
Who's counting down the days until you croak

You can't help but track the time
Listening carefully for every ring and chime
The path to heaven is quite a steep climb
Therefore, you're careful not to commit a crime

One, two, three, four
Death is knocking at your door
Five, six, seven, eight
Drawing closer to hell's gate

He breathes frost across your skin
While giving you an eerie grin
Everyday he counts your sins
And keeps track of where you've been

Life is a maddening adventure of deceit
A wavering story that you fear to complete
Yet the temptation of existence is much too sweet
So, naturally, you strive to grasp the treat

Nine, ten, eleven, twelve
In your grave death does delve
Now he's counting all the teens
While whispering what he's already seen

You're shivering now, but it's okay
Because the sky can only stay so gray
So, when off the path you begin to stray
Death will help you, and into the ground you'll lay

He'll smile kindly and sing you a song
Yet he won't expect you to sing along
Because he knows that you've been staying strong
While struggling through this life of right and wrong
Sep 2013 · 552
To Be Remembered
Jago Lantz Sep 2013
You started out just like every other child
Desirous and willing to accept the dare
But alas you fell hard in a world so wild
That it left you trembling from the life-lesson scare

Still, you strive so hard to let your face be known
The sound of your voice and the prowess you possess
But there's no need to place yourself on a throne
And turn life into a mad game of chess

Your words are doted upon in kind
As you throw yourself in the face of disaster
Though, in time you will have lost your mind
Beneath the title you claimed as master

You are loved, dear warrior, not a God to be worshiped
So, make this life your own and not that of another
Take the old, holy book that you have ripped
And piece it back together for the sake of your brothers

We will remember you as the knight of honor
The one who saved lives for everyone's sake
For we were the only ones who saw you not as a fawner
But as a loyal man careful not to make a mistake

So, to you who has placed himself so high
We can and will most definitely ensure
That it is heroes who may die
And legends that will undoubtedly endure
Sep 2013 · 795
Anything but Myself
Jago Lantz Sep 2013
When I look into that cold, glass surface
I see the face of a clown, fresh from the circus
With eyes too small and a nose too big
I stifle a sob and tug at my wig

Why did I have to turn out this way
An ugly creature without a word to say
To those who have been granted perfection
Why must I have to face this reflection

The disgust that I feel grips me tightly
And I know that I shouldn't take it lightly
But it burns my heart and crushes my soul
To know that I will never get to see my goal

So I shall lock myself away from those expectant eyes
And hide beneath an impenetrable disguise
For I do not wish to ever catch a glimpse of that face
I'll hide the key and leave not a single trace

No one will remember this person that hated
Everyone and everything that made life so complicated
With their laughs and their beauty they flaunted about
Making me realize what I was left without

I'm not a favorable being in the eyes of God
From the day I was born I was destined to be flawed
Sometimes, though, I get that strange desire
To lift my head up and see him that I admire

It's painful, I'd be a coward to lie
And I'm sorry to say I'm not willing to try
To be a more cheery, a prettier person
Because I fear that my appearance will only worsen

But the time will come when I must reveal
This inner me that refuses to feel
Because I placed that key on a crumbling shelf
While wishing to be anything but myself
Sep 2013 · 784
The Stuff We're Made of
Jago Lantz Sep 2013
Carved out of shadows
Constructed from ash
Our hearts were filled shallow
And our minds were made rash

Our skin is the fragile enamel
That wraps around our bones
Proving that we're only mammals
Refusing to reveal what's already shown

Our lungs are indecisive balloons
Expanding and deflating in turns
Desperate for air, as if caught on the moon
We breathe in order to learn

Fingers and toes are spun from webs
Creating quite the intricate designs
We're given an identity that will never ebb
And an existence that we must resign

But faces are the most important
Eyes are the windows to the soul
Noses dissect what is discordant
And the mouth makes the expression whole

People, sadly, are born dead
But humans are of a different matter
We're made of the stuff that we've bled
So we must be careful not to splatter

The main ingredient is life
With just a sprinkle of death
But don't forget the strife
For it puts voice unto our breath  

We thrive in what we hate
We stumble in what we love
Yet this is the way to create
The stuff that we're made of
Sep 2013 · 1.1k
Le Sang Dans Les Nues
Jago Lantz Sep 2013
It patters against the pavement
Drop after drop, splash after splash
Having realized its reason for repent
It shakes the world, clash after clash

Allons-y danser dans le plui
Ecoute a la orage
Le sang est dans les nues
Allons-y chanter avec courage  

I'm wading at the waste
Into a town with no name
My mouth is filled with a bitter taste
Leaving me with only the sky to blame

Allons-y danser dans le plui
Ecoute a la orage
Le sang est dans les nues
Allons-y chanter avec courage  

I hear the chanting of young girls and boys
Singing clear above the rain
It's a soothing sound, easy to enjoy
And I start to remember that I am indeed still sane

Allons-y danser dans le plui
Ecoute a la orage
Le sang est dans les nues
Allons-y chanter avec courage

Ah, there it is again
The voices from the other side
I raise my arms, wondering where they've been
And why they've left me here to abide

Allons-y danser dans le plui
Ecoute a la orage
Le sang est dans les nues
Allons-y chanter avec courage

I feel myself being lifted
Rising slowly from the lake
The voices say I have been gifted
And that I'm giving in for my own sake

And so the angels sing

Let us dance in the rain
Listen to the storm
The blood is in the clouds
Let us sing with courage
Sorry to those who don't know French. It's a lovely language, nice for poetry. The last stanza is a translate of the French ones. Title: The Blood in the Clouds
Sep 2013 · 686
Life is
Jago Lantz Sep 2013
An everlasting funeral
A spiderweb sprinkled with dew
A cup of coffee to disperse the morning mist
A timid sun peeking over the treetops
A poor but personal journal
A bell of liberty ringing strong and true
A pair of lips just recently kissed
A parade of bubbles beginning to pop
A gaggle of geese on their way south
A petal from the reddest rose
A summer overtaken by the desire to play
A poet without that one rhyming word
A happiness received from a smiling mouth
A break in the heart as a door is closed
An emotional infant trying too hard to convey
A desperate scream that will never be heard
A breaking of waves against a sandy shore
A nest at the top of a withering tree
A glacier rolling through the ice
A blade that's sullied with the blood of an innocent
A child rolling across a hardwood floor
A bird unbound and set to be free
A moment of awe that's void of a price
Because this is your life, and that's how it's spent
Sep 2013 · 713
This is How it Goes
Jago Lantz Sep 2013
Someone knocks on your door
And, despite your reasonable fear, you answer
To come face-to-face with a man covered in gore
Uncertain, unwilling, you bow and address the 'sir'
His head moves stiffly, proving he's sore
So you welcome him in, a little unsure

This is how you wish it
He smiles, an action that warms his face
And enters into a room that's dimly lit
He turns and asks if he can stay at this place
For there is no crime he would commit
Lest his good nature be misplaced

This is how it goes
He shoulders past you in a hurry
You timidly bring the door to a close
He turns on you and back you scurry
As he readies his fist for a barrage of blows
The world has never been so blurry

And once upon another time
There was a charming fellow you had met
Together you sang sweetly in rhymes
And felt no trace of earnest regret
Though, old God did hear his hymns
And so condemned you to never forget

This is how it could have been
You and the fellow are holding hands
Whispering secrets of way back when
Then comes along a wedding band
And the prideful lion beckons you to his den
Of course you follow, the offer is much too grand

This is how it goes
The fellow takes a step back
You look him in the eye and despair begins to grow
He stares right back, not afraid to mention what you lack
Then he mumbles apologies as the tears start to flow
He walks away with no intention of healing the crack

This is how it's always going to be
You hate what has become of you
Left to wallow in a pool of sorrow deeper than the sea
You despise what men have put you through
Turning you into a child's toy, absent of glee
But this is your fate, you're bound to it like glue

Therefore, my lovely lady so full of hate
Why not join me for a late-night date
Don't worry, I'm really quite the gentleman
I promise your sad tale won't repeat again
So, please accept this blood-red rose
And let me tell you how it really goes
Aug 2013 · 2.3k
Chamomile
Jago Lantz Aug 2013
Warmth, it is the rising steam
Blowing against my lips
In clouds as thick as cream
I down it with timid sips
That numb my throat softly
Because the first cup is always costly

Release, it is the loosening of the soul
Uncoiling like a taught wire
Caught 'round the neck of a young foal
The bitter-sweet taste is a burning, liquid fire
But the feeling is contagious
There's no need to feel courageous

Desire, it's filled to the brim
Like a sea of flowers
Unwilling for their monthly trim
It churns within me, a growing power
That's too subdued to abuse
And too wonderful to refuse

Disappointment, it ends with the final drop
When the cup's tilted vertical
I realize it's time to stop
For my tongue will never reach the final hurtle
That mocks me from the shadowed curve
Making me think that it's too good to deserve

Rejoice, it's a teaspoon of honey
To ease the bitterness of the blessed brew
It clears the clouds and becomes quite sunny
So that I may offer some to you
Take this cup, and I swear you'll smile
For the unmistakable taste of honey-sweetened chamomile
Aug 2013 · 412
Simple Things
Jago Lantz Aug 2013
You've only got one life to live
So, make sure that you're ready to give
To those who have much less than you
And see the world from a different view

Little memories last the longest
They hold tight because they're the strongest
That's why we all have to do our part
And allow ourselves a place to start

Though, time moves fast
And it surely won't last
So, do everything your heart desires
Before it comes time for you to retire

Discover ancient treasures
Climb a distance that can't be measured
Play hooky with the one you love
Tie letters to a snow-white dove

It's the simple things that fill our hearts
The things that keep us from falling apart
They stick so that we always remember
Every event from January to December

Sing and dance in the rain
Hurt so you can feel the pain
Smile, even if you don't want to
Because, some how, you'll always pull through

It's the simple things that mean the most
The things that act as our humble host
They linger with us night and day
Until death rises to take us away
Aug 2013 · 590
Artificiality
Jago Lantz Aug 2013
I was once given a question
'What is life?'
And I answered without hesitation
'It is our strife'

People are the here
People are the now
Things might not be as they appear
But that is what we must allow

We are the controlled
We aren't the controllers
Our existence is being sold
In a weight we cannot shoulder

Some see happy
While others see pain
But I think that's just sappy
'Cuz people are too plain

I don't hate this thing called life
But I refuse to love it just the same
The thought of accepting cuts me like a knife
And I can't help but be drawn into the game

Move this piece here
Shuffle and deal the deck
The answer isn't so clear
So I say, 'oh, what the heck'

I'll do what is expected
I'll live, I'll laugh, I'll die
So, that I won't be rejected
'Cuz I'm your average, dependent guy

I need this air to breathe
I need this earth for support
The world around me seethes
With people unwilling to cohort

So, I ask this question of you
'What is existence?'
I don't expect you to have a clue
For I have not a single instance

Life, death, and just simply being
Are they really any different
Don't they all share the same meaning
And leave you alone to suffer from repent

I tell you now, so I'm not too late
Existence isn't a choice
Living isn't something to debate
Being here means being given a voice

Tell me you're lost here in this world of artificiality
And I'll drag you out with everything I'm worth
'Cuz, kid, this is everyone's reality
And it's been that way since the day of your birth
Aug 2013 · 652
From Friend to Love
Jago Lantz Aug 2013
I can honestly say I wasn't so sure
You left much room for me to infer
But now I really must concur
That you are the blessed cure

You're the kind of sickness that burns warmly
It hurts but still goes down quite smoothly
You're contagious, but it's still lovely
Because time always passes by quickly

Smile some more
It's not a chore
You'll start an uproar
So, please laugh some more

You're my friend, a joyous girl
You're mood always takes me for a whirl
But don't spin too fast, lest I hurl
Because your passion is the kind that must unfurl

Love me or love me not
My stomach's tied into a knot
Picking daisies by the lot
I hope this love won't be shot

Yesterday, we passed each other in the rain
You were sticking close to the inner lane
When my heart was struck by a sudden pain
Lately, I haven't been too sane

Today, I saw you at the park
You crossed my path in the dark
And in my soul I felt a spark
My dear, you really hit the mark

Tomorrow, I'll present you with a ring
I'll hold you tight and 'I do' you'll sing
We'll joke around, playing queen and king
Yes, hear the wedding bells ring

My friend, my love, now we are bound
Our thoughts are conveyed without a sound
And, in this new life we've found
We'll be together, buried in the ground
Aug 2013 · 621
Blackberry
Jago Lantz Aug 2013
I picked a lovely berry
I picked it just for you
I picked it, feeling merry
Yes, I picked it just for you

It's just a little ****
Hardly very sweet
I picked it all apart
And offered it as a treat

Ah, I love the color
I love the pink and black
I think I'll pick some more
And eat a tasty snack

But, oh, I have forgotten
About the prickly thorns
My mood is rendered rotten
As my hand is raked in scorn

Now the black is shrouded
Painted in a glistening red
My eyes become clouded
From the drops that I have bled

Oh, I picked a horrid berry
I picked it just for you
I picked it, feeling dreary
Yes, I picked it without a clue
Aug 2013 · 413
The Beauty of Looking Down
Jago Lantz Aug 2013
Pride is a feeling that swells
It churns, rumbles, grows
Within the chest it dwells
Ready to put on a show

Past the nose the eyes do gaze
Twinkling wickedly in the light
But what they hide is a murky haze
Cast only by a consuming fright

Sure, it's nice to be on top
Confidence is quite the virtue
But, I beg you not to stop
Because I'm seeing the me that is you

So, keep looking down
Hold your chin up high
Don't dare to frown
Don't dare to cry

It's nice to be on top
We know it best
But if our heads should drop
So would the pride in our chests

Here is the beauty that we see
The beauty of looking down
Because I can only see you in me
And I'm hoping not to drown
Aug 2013 · 684
Alive
Jago Lantz Aug 2013
Hear* my voice
Cascading like an avalanche
A landslide absent of choice
Ready to take a chance
See my reflection
Fading in the ripples
As I seek correction
That is expected to *******
Feel my heartbeat
Playing a rhythm for my soul
Which had long-succumbed to the heat
Of life's burning coals
Taste my pain
Voiced with a cry
As I tug at my chains
Offering my alibi
"I am alive"
Aug 2013 · 517
Dear Alice
Jago Lantz Aug 2013
Madness isn't a state of mind
It's a place
So, if you would be so kind
As to wear your frilly lace

And brush out your golden hair
Don't worry, I'll take you there
Grab my hand, let's go
To the land where you're never alone

Let me spin you as we walk
Don't mind the time
There are no clocks
Nor is there a chime

Down the hole we go
Falling faster by the second
Watch out, the ceiling's low
The exit has always beckoned

Yes, in this world you'll see
That there is no other like me
I'm a little mad
But it's here that I can be glad

My dear, sweet Alice
Be mindful of what you eat
Don't take the silver chalice
To stand tall upon your feet

Enter through the gate
And see things as you will
But it's getting very late
Come with me to the hill

Goodbye, my dear
There's no need to fear
For madness is a place
That rests forever in your grace
Aug 2013 · 416
Within The Echoes
Jago Lantz Aug 2013
He looks at me, delighted, excited
His eyes are a glistening red
I look back, fearful, slighted
And hold on tight to my head

His voice is loud
It's unbearably silent
I'm always lost in the crowd
Of his painful, savage repent

Here I am, lost in the echoes
Of his always present being
I shut the eyes that refuse to close
To hide what I'm not seeing

I spread my arms to embrace the light
That color I cannot perceive
And hope, that with all my might
It's still alright to believe
Jago Lantz Aug 2013
We walk the day through concrete forests
Our heads held high in earnest unrest
Our hands are shaking, happiness restrained
Ah, in this world we feel so pained

Smile, boy, smile
Come, sing with us for a while
We'll dance when it rains
We'll sneak onto trains

Your story is the one being played
Don't struggle, it's how we are made
Our existence is everything
But a single pain is nothing

Laugh, girl, laugh
We'll help you run half
Life is a long road
We'll carry some of your load

You trip and you fall
Yet, you cry for none at all
You're strong, you're brave
But there's no one left to save

We walk the day across scarred dirt
Our feet that drag always hurt
But come, and please feel relieved
In this twisted world of make-believe
Aug 2013 · 405
Wishing For You
Jago Lantz Aug 2013
Looking up, I see a star
It grants me a wish and fades away
But, I know that it hadn't fallen far
For my wish was that it would always stay

Little light that shines so bright
I search for you every day
And though you are not within my sight
I remember that my wish was for you to stay

Come to me when midnight tolls
To the castle under the silver moon
Through the forest and over the knolls
I know that you will come to me soon

When morning came and I was alone
Without your light to guide me
I thought of the love that you would not loan
And wondered wherever you could be

Then when midnight tolled again
I saw a shining star
It winked at me through clouds and rain
And I knew that you could not be far
Aug 2013 · 559
The Music Box
Jago Lantz Aug 2013
They wound me up and left me to play
So, there I sat, day after day
Playing songs for fortune's fools
In the room they filled with tools

But, my songs grew weary as time did tick
And not much later I began to feel sick
My melodies faltered, clashed, and fell
With every toll of the midnight bell

Then one day my tunes did fade
So, I cowered in a lonely shade
My heart had been forever broken
Darkness was my only token

Then one day I heard a creak
And in the room a boy did sneak
He approached me with such nimble steps
And in my soul raised a long-forgotten pep

Boy, you wound me up and left me to play
So, there I sat day after day
Playing songs for jailbird fools
In the room still filled with tools

But, my songs grew morbid as time did tick
And not much later did the feeling stick
So, when I heard that eerie knell
I continued to play, bound by a spell

Songs were things that had been forbade
But I continued to play from the place that I laid
Never a word had a useless tool spoken
Until the day that my spell had been broken

For, in the room did a young man peek
And whispered softly for me to speak
My lack of answer caused him to fret
So, further in he swiftly crept

Man, you wound me up and left me to play
So, there I sat day after day
Playing songs for bones and ghouls
In the room without the tools

— The End —