Masked Lucidity

Runnin' through my memories,
Pass beyond the broken dreams,
Perception is reality,
Nothing's ever as it seems.

I remember much, like yesterday,
Though several years ago,
Alone, I'd watch the children play,
From 'neath the old Willow.

"Freak!" They'd yell, when I'd come near,
And other hurtful names,
Knock me down, and pull my hair,
I did not like these games.

I learned to live the world alone,
To be my only friend,
This hatred turned my heart to stone,
Forever on the mend.

I hemmed a mask with laughter,
My sarcasm, an art,
To find my happily ever after,
I'd have to leave the dark.

So venture now, into the light,
To test my brand new guise,
Beauty spilled upon my sight,
Tears poured out from my eyes

Accepted is the once lone freak,
The ego starts to grow,
I began to feed upon the weak,
Beneath the old Willow.

The demon reared his ugly head,
He's taken full control,
He'll leave me when I'm cold and dead,
He feeds upon my soul.

"What have I done, how can this be,
Why would I be so blind,
To hunt beneath the Willow tree,
Attacking my own kind?"

I realized with much dismay,
The mask is stuck in place,
I tug and pull it every way,
It slaps back in my face

This curs-ed mask, though once a prize,
To help me face my pain,
Has brought the tears back to my eyes,
Never to leave again.

Forgiveness, I can never know,
No matter how I try,
Now I only wish to go,
To find a way to die.

I tried to jump into the sea,
The demon drank it in,
I leaped out of the tallest tree,
But floated on the wind.

"Why can you not let me die?"
I screamed at him in vain,
He just laughed and winked his eye,
From deep within my brain.

So, in I went, to drag him out,
To answer for his crimes,
He began to lash about,
And kicked me forty times.

Defeated, I just sat there staring,
Deep into the abyss,
The demon, he just sat there, glaring,
Licking on his lips.

"You cannot defeat me, boy,
So don't you even try,
You are my brand new, favorite toy,
You will never die."

He licked my cheek, foul, rancid breath,
Poured down around my nose,
It smelled of urine, mixed with death,
Partially decomposed.

He watched me as I crawled away,
Like a dog to lick my wounds,
To run to fight another day,
I hid within the ruins.

This rubble had once been a town,
A thriving metro hub,
Until the demon burned it down,
And chased away all love.

For, it's love that kills the demon,
But through lack, his power's grown,
The battle's lost, I now must run,
Seek for that, I've ne'er known.