Again I wake in this retched place
Where the devil glares
with grimaced face
Reading my heart, stripping it bare
Savoring the scent
of the secrets there
I'm slipping and sliding,
the ice too thin
Carefully creeping, lest I fall in
I'm holding on tight
with a white knuckle grip
Knowing he waits,
for the moment I slip

And just as before, the first time I fell
He stood at the ready, casting a spell
Quick as a wink, he swiftly swooped in
Leading me down his pathway of sin

Dashing and daring,
he's handsome and strong
He tied me in strings;
then led me along
His clutch was so quick,
I had nowhere to run
From the cold calculation,
he fancies as fun
He baits a fine trap,
with flattery and fawn
Seeking the weak to use as his pawn
Once I was trapped, caught in his snare
I was twisting and turning,
gasping for air

He's a devil disguised,
with eyes dark in hue
But nothing he says is faithful or true
So ladies beware, he's cold as a snake
And the treasure he offers,
is gaudy and fake

But this time I stand strong,
I'm adept to his game
Won't be fooled by his charms
or bullied by shame
I'm squaring my shoulders,
I'm calling his bluff
A lesson hard learned,
and enough is enough
I say…bring it on you sly devil,
this time you'll be beat
I'm wise to the tricks
of a liar and deceit
You can't take my heart,
I've locked it away
Now…I am the slayer
and you are the prey

So stare if you must,
you'll have no affect
The passion in me,
you can't resurrect
Your whispers fall dead,
like leaves on a grave
You'll have none of me,
or the homage you crave

May you lie there twisting,
kicking up dust
With your mind full of soot
and your heart full of rust
I've broken the chains
that have long held me down
I picked up the mirror
and turned it around
So, just look at yourself,
you're sordid, unclean
There's nothing to you
behind the smokescreen
Smoke and mirrors
together is a dangerous pair
They'll make you believe
in what's really not there

The laugh is on you, cause I've
learned your game
And the favor you seek,
you'll never reclaim
I'm no more the victim,
of your wretched deceit
And the armor I wear,
you'll never defeat

In the shadow of his dreams
He wears on his smile
Lust without longevity, soft screams
Veils of gentleman guile

A pair of dead eyes holds in place
A cold heart and two warm arms
Alive but absent in space
Of the deception of courting charms

But flirting with the naive
Quickly enough, if not tragic...
An ambush she couldn’t believe
By romance and its alleged magic

The story comes to a close
Conquered and blown out
A candle amongst echos
Just another notch he endowed

No worries, I’ll not suffer, dear
but rise up from the fall
and feel the sunshine on my face
and dance and sing my southern drawl

I see your heart has turned to stone
numbed against each sting
You’re a snake that sheds his skin
so you don’t have to feel a thing

However, watch me as carry on
as you’ve closed that open door
because you’ve darken every page
and I’ll yearn for you no more

I know now the man you are
behind the velvet voice of you
I see the serpent that slithers by
still smiling when your through

I recognize your yellow eyes
watered down in alcohol
smiling in disguise of lies
I finally see you, after all

you were just a ripple in time
not one I’m likely to forget
but one I must let go  
lest infection spread!