Hunger

Hunger


I hunger for flesh like beasts of the jungle,
to roam unheard, unseen through the willows,
to circle like eagles then plummet to earth,
to slither silently among wet rocks.
Always the hunger gnawing at my belly.

In a local bar I hide, drinking courage
to escape my dreary, mundane surroundings,
to abandon the monotonous routine,
to confront the demon that dogs my footsteps.
Always the hunger gnawing at my belly.

I live in my mind where I'm safe from the world,
where limitless power is at my command,
where I reign supreme in my boundless kingdom,
where weakness and frailty cease to exist.
Always the hunger gnawing at my belly.

I grow old and weak, everything slips away.
I look in the mirror and see my father.
I try to remember, but see only haze.
I struggle with life and it beats me each time.
Always the hunger gnawing at my belly.

Will I ever escape this earthly prison?
Will I ever walk free like beasts of the field?
Will my mind ever soar like the birds above?
Will I ever shed this life-sucking demon?
Will this hunger always gnaw at my belly?