I stare Dark portrait Looms in the hallway Speaks of this passage Its meaning I have weighed More of late Through hours of somnolence Features elaborate They glow With meagre radiance My leisure in pretense Resembles The dread they obfuscate Indeed The dread writhes on I sense I am but all alone In ghostlike movement I turn away again Never letting them get too close and inquiring Absolved of guilt while weeping quietly A place for repose since youth Take refuge 'twixt sheets of shade and dew Where poetries and theories of hell Are all laid bare in lucid grace Feeble am I Beneath the guise Wanting nothing But this pain to last The garden rests 'Neath a nightly gleam Beckoning, welcoming Here I can berth Listen to the words Buried for centuries Wear the mask of Janus Wishing to govern time Keep the gates locked in wait Vagrancy of mind The promise of musing Lets me fare by land and sea Yet no lanterns there for me Free from the contested Libertine in darkness Residence of flesh The route of choosing Has me bracing for distress Knowing I will have solace Then forever able In an earthly cradle Soon the cold will come here Swirling, burning caress Wake me from my slumber Persuade where I falter Though draconian years have pined Hurt stays my bread and wine Escapades of vain delight Soothe not like tears sublime Make this scar a coat of arms Keepsake from battles past Wisdom gathered from the rage Gave me calm, built me space Leads me back in dialogue With the voice in the hall Its meaning I have weighed More of late Through hours of somnolence Figures communicate Tell of a rueful revenant My labour in honour Will wear out And force me to the ground Oh, dread The dread is mine I know I am but all alone In ghostlike movement I turn away again Never letting them get too close and inquiring Absolved of guilt while weeping quietly A place for repose since youth Take refuge 'twixt sheets of shade and dew Where poetries and theories of hell Are all laid bare in lucid grace Je puis me persuader D'avoir été fait tel par la nature Que je puisse aisément me tromper Même dans les choses que je crois comprendre Avec le plus d'évidence et de certitude (René Descartes - Méditations Métaphysiques) Dogs of war Chased day and night Bloodlust drove the nails of spite Will I ever forget Is there any way Any way at all Any way at all Any way at all Any way at all Is there any way Will I ever forget Soon the cold will come here Swirling, burning caress Wake me from my slumber Persuade where I falter Though draconian years have pined Hurt stays my bread and wine Escapades of vain delight Soothe not like tears sublime Make this scar a coat of arms Keepsake from battles past Wisdom gathered from the rage Gave me calm, built me space Leads me back in dialogue With the voice in the hall