Hello Darkness my old friend Who knew your herald would be a *****? Spandex, and *** shots, and smirky metaphor— I’ve come to talk with you again Pulling up shorts and promising more. Ride that bike so hard—you’ve got to be sore. ‘cause a vision softly ere creeping Visions don’t come softly these days; they come in your face. Hot diva so young, telling girls what’s their place. Came to me while I was sleeping No time for sleeping, just dancing and *******, “Female Empowerment”’s now about stripping and *******. And the vision, that was planted in my brain Planting visions of *** is the best gig in town, raking in millions in dollars and pounds. Still remains These images burn; they’re from Hell, I am sure. A woman’s a woman; let a girl be a girl. Within the sounds of silence. Now silence reigns, no beats, tweets or lies. The star’s somewhere safe; a child in hospital dies. In restless dream I walked alone Alone is better than ***** on the floor. Alone is better than pushed through the door. Through narrow streets of cobblestone Call me a hag with flat shoes clutching pearls-- a relic of cobblestone times; to be sure. Neath the halo of a streetlamp The glare and the blare of incessant Youtube promises glory with high heels and **** tubes. I turned my collar to the cold and damp No collars for girls; unless for literal *******-- "Submission is ****", said Rihanna (smug in her riches). My eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light You can’t look away; it’s everywhere; on awards shows. On radio in shops selling wares. That split the night And touched the sounds of silence. Fools said I you do not know How could they know? They’re only teens. They do not know what makes self-esteem. Silence like a cancer grows Name it, shame it; it’s exploitation of women; if we don’t stop it there’ll be much worse coming. Hear my words that I might teach you, Take my arms that I might reach you, But my words, like silent raindrops, fell… Into the well, of silence. And the people bowed and prayed To the Neon God they made And the Sign flashed out its warning In the words that it was forming And the Sign said “the words of the prophets are written on subway walls, In tenement halls”* And in blood on concert hall floors.