We are all touched
By each hand
Good
Evil
Believing
Not believing

Always a choice

Merciful
Unmerciful

Always a choice

each demon exists inside of us
growing out of its mouth
arms made of serpents
fingers made of ivy
finger nails made of lace
softly caressing us
so we can’t tell the difference
seascapes upon our minds
like sand pulling away from our feet
as we walk close to the surf
happy feelings
until they’re not
so we wait until the sun sets
and walk away from the surf
but not too far
just far enough to find cool dry sand
and we are alone now
thinking of someone
maybe we know them
maybe we want to know them
they were somewhere
out there

Or did we just imagine all of it?

We all hear voices
Some call them thoughts
Others hear things like God
It’s so different to them
There’s no way to tell us
Nobody believes them
So they die on the inside
And forget how to smile
They master anxiety with surrealistic disguises
No place left to go

“what type of hat?”
“what type of cloth?”
“flowing?”
“yes, flowing”

Who cares, we think

There’s always someone who does
How many times though do they care enough?
What does that even mean anyway?
Care enough
Enough for what?
For the sand to cool?

And then there’s tomorrow

To live
To die

But is that a choice?

I won’t choose to live or die
I will see what happens

Just like this morning

Listening to someone lie to me
Listening to someone trying to make me feel wrong
I’m not wrong
I have an opinion and I know why
The difference is my opinion speaks freely
Their opinion is an order from someone else
It’s how they are paid to think

I’m just paid to do

But I’m not wrong
I just live a certain way
But who did I hurt today?

Only myself

That's ok
I mean, what difference does that make?
It's just me
It's me stuffing snakes, ivy and lace back down my throat
Invisible snakes
But I know they are there

Just like yours
Except you are too afraid to discuss it

You just want to be paid
Don't you?