The tree by the sea, roots tasting salt, is slowly going grey. Leaves long gone, stolen by the dawn of the everlasting day. Waters lick at the hanging skin of nature lead astray But a low branch hangs, as if to lend a hand to narcissus’ escape. Instead comes a terror from innsmouth razed, fleeing from the deep while the ancient gods lie, their backs turned, fighting fitful sleep. Skin as dun as the clouded sun, clawing at the sand She slowly stands and looks upon this new and very dangerous land. O! She dries herself. O! She hides herself. Standing naked oblivious, hair like falling tar, She doesn’t see the young boy watching, blushing from afar She glances grass, wood and smoke and smoke means warmth well kept Meanwhile the blushing boy is watching every step. Tired Old Man was shocked to find the nude girl at his door, Her silk grey skin and liquid hair pouring to the floor She collapsed through the archway and he caught her on her way Wrapped her up in old bed sheets and found a room for her to stay. O! She crouches by the fire O! Shadows dance along her skin. The young boy enters, watching his feet And by the fire, takes his seat He measures her with his eyes And smiling looks away When all the rest have gone to sleep He slides into her sheets He fumbles with excitement Yet the whole while, she is quiet. Later in sleep, she falls to her knees and begs that the cold leave her be, But it’s not cold she fears, she’s fled from the sea And falls in the false arms of humanity. Curled up in sheets, leaking cum and tears she wonders which constitutes insanity. Long weeks it goes, Each morning she wakes alone. His hands familiar now, The bruises she hides in between her thighs. One night as he held her mouth closed, A knock came from the hallway, the door opened. The mother, her eyes white and wide she saw their position, their hateful entwine. O! She screamed and she screamed! Out! She pulled the girl by her hair. Out! How dare you defile my boy, my son! You enter our home and you two become one! You’ve corrupted him, you whore of the sea! And never again will I lay eyes on thee. The girl tries to stand, but trips on the sheets Ensnared as the spider approaches. Coming undone, she runs from the house. The moon listens to the screams in the dark. Leaves fall on her flesh, pale in morning light. Salt was once her friend; falls from her closed eyes. Quiet, a figure crawls forth, smiles, measures her pain, turns, and disappears with the coming of rain. The liquid is relief, it smells of her home Of that which will come, Of that which has gone. Smoke! The acrid smell dances in her nose. No! She runs through the rain, ignoring the pain of splintered wood piercing her soles. The rain calls as if from home, left the sea to be alone Then falls as she sees, the figure on knees warming his hands by the flame Come lay here, he says, the night has been cold My bones ache and i’m not yet old. I think you should come, When your time here is done, To a place where a few of us rest. Where the moon’s not too cool nor does the sun burn A place to lie down. You’ve seen it before, you’ve pressed at its door every time you’ve lain in the dark. The shadows that dance their swirling romance call you to sleep on their breast. Nethtra! Nethtra!

Fingers pulling from the dirt, white roots and grey invertebrates. Cold, most soil clings to skin. One day the soil might sink in and stain royal digits black as soot after fires rape the forest. Evergreens will fall but nature takes pride in it all. The night sky, broken eyed stars cry rain and light on leaves and branches that twist and smile sharp teeth, devour all light within their reach. All light begins to fade. I can’t see beyond the shade. Moon come, I beg to see you soon, or I’ll sleep this nocturnal womb. Set this ablaze with fires from your tongue and don’t lie down till all you’ll do is done. Sit amidst the ashes of a life and wonder where it went, then wander under stars till you reach the broken wall.

For those unforgiven, for those insane. For those who cause fear, for those who cause pain. For those who suffer in silence and those out loud, for those who cry and those who are proud. Salt waves crash on the shores of hopelessness. Honeysuckle salt. Insects cling to leaves and flowers, welcome to the city of the lost. Promise me you’ll follow me. Meet with me. Hold me in the lonely glade as light fades.

The Human form means nothing. It will one day be dust like everything else. Personality, conflict, none stay with white bones. Bones of everything that was. “Imperious Caesar, dead and turned to clay Might stop a hole to keep the wind away.” - Hamlet Alone by yourself, no future, no prospect of being remembered at all. The cliffs and the seas, the sky and the trees, are tombs for nothing but earth and soot. Centuries pass after your death and still no pearly gates or hellfires. Your children grow old, they suffer, they die. They forget your name, they forget you existed. Billions of years in the blink of an eye and nobody and nothing is left to understand. Stardust was humans, Humans were stardust, Everything else is Silence.