(A lone voice whispers)

Take this
As a now bearable parting gift

From someone who will always love you
The most

As we bid our last painful goodbyes

After renouncing
All known ties

And departing
Like two lonely unloved ghosts

Into life's
Slow-moving mists

For
It's been a wonderful dream

But the dark god
Deimos

From The Great In-Between
Now let in

By emerald eyes
Hidden or seen

To slow shadow walk
Towards us
As we drift

Has gloriously
Destroyed us

Smiling
Wearing

A white Captain Bligh
shirt and

Old nineties
Faded Levi's blue jeans

Grinning like a mad fool
In our slipstream

At the joy and wonder
Of all our frail emotional screams

Which creep in

In extreme
Sinful ways

As we fall apart
At the seams

In the fading lights
Each midnight

Or in so many dark secretive corners
Everyday

For our deep love

Like an abandoned
Nightingale

Has upped suddenly
And flown
Away

Once
In a vision
Or a divine play

I saw you
Lovingly

Looking my way
On Malibu Street

But now
Feeling cold and
Numb

Eating crumbs of
Defeat

Like an outcast,
A *****

A reborn
Fletcher Christian

Sailing away
On a new mission

I beg you, Please look away

For even though
I'm broken in two

Constantly
Thinking of you

My sad heart
Will once more soar

Like a Martial Eagle
In full flight

When true love
Eventually returns

And she knocks
Hard

On my tired hearts
Beating door

Pleading to be let in once more
But until then

Gossips
Racketeers
Gaslighters

And every incarnation of the known Devil

Hear my rebellious lions roar

As my soul
Stands so ready and majestically
Tall

Holding a golden sharp diamond-encrusted sword called Hope

Clutching a solid silver shield with

Veniet Amor *** Paratus Sum (L)

Inscribed on the front in gold

Love will come when I'm ready

To banish despair
Forevermore

For this pain and old memories are no longer civil

So here I stand
In pure spirit

On
Freedoms
Sandy
Yellow shores

As my higher self
Prepares
To go to war

To earn some more
Golden and red medals

For my old true love
Has walked right out of my life

And joy doesn't live here
Anymore

(C)
Copyright John Duffy

Deimos /ˈdaɪmɒs is the personal god of dread and terror in Greek mythology