Children sing nearby
The cobbled streets
Stretch on forever
The buildings
Look as if they
May collapse
At any moment
Frowning faces pass by
Looking as if every ounce
Of happiness
Was stolen from them
In this city
No joy could be found
Each spoke with a definitive monotone
And yet the children's song could still be heard

Lions roar in the distance
Heartbeat pounding beside you
Looking out over the African veldt
Birds fly above
You wonder
Who passes out liberty
The ability to soar freely
The ability to choose
Why hath thee not chosen thy own path
Why art thee trapped
In shadows
Of some days
Bright red
Others yellow
Yet more so
A shade of darkness

A shadow in the distance
Automobiles pass by
No one notices
As the shadow is gone

The clock is filled with mockery
As its ticks and tocks
Ring in my ears for centuries
I watch the sun slowly set
Knowing it will rise once again
Having lost the uncertainty
That ensured my happiness' existence
For those whom I
Once shared life with
Have long left this world
And I will never know their fate
I will never experience
What galvanizes my curiosity the most
For we have
Unintentionally ended our lives
By disabling their ability to end
Causing a truly perpetual imperial affliction
As wishing for more
And for less simultaneously
Often causes
My eternal regret
Is that of greed
And disregard
For immortal consequences

From fields of sunshine
To dark and dusty basements
I followed you to the edge of the atlas
Yet I do it no more
Our paths will remain apart
As we've seen the edge
And you still choose to return
Enquiring why I do not
As you'll always have my back
Alas,
I know your secret
I saw the blade tucked
Away in your fist
You've got my back
Only to hoist your blade into it