My Demon Poem by Thoughts of a Single Man

Her hair of breathing fire
her desire shrouded of hate
in the deepest dark of the pitch she sits
grinning in her own sinister reflection
before the witching gate
I have chased my demon for so many years
as she danced hidden within the realm
of the land of my fright and fears
held secure in the drops of my tears
whispering words of doubt
in my trembling ears
she was so elusive yet visible
for she came to me in many forms
taunting me each day
like the retreating moon does the breaking dawn
I would open my eyes and see her
fleeing my mental room
contemplating her next move
on the chess board of my driven regret
attempting to feast on my spiritual boon
her bright red her flowing behind her
as she disappeared into my minds eye
always laughing while I sat and cried
how I wished she would die
for she preyed on my weakness
my insecurity
the remnants of the voices
that tortured me for so long
the howling faces that sought to see me fall
the empty smiles that were worn as masks
by those who never cared or called
charlatans all
hidden in the know
yet still leaving their marks
like footprints found in the snow
the planted seeds of resentment
seen in my own reflection
and with the wetness of my tears
I watered them and allowed them to grow
I tried to hide from her
begging the sirens of my essence to elude her
yet there was no insight and no hope
as she tied tight the knots that rot
in the noose of the hanging rope
I tried to numb her presence
as I watched my pain float away
in putrid clouds of smoke
but the more I ran the closer she got
unit I could feel her heart on me
like dripping spit burning hot
as she sat and watched
the writhing apparitions of my sorrow
gleeful in my pain as she heard my cries
for such is the way of the fallen angel
that never yearns to fly
and just when I thought the ride was at its end
I was saved by my own words
freedom found in the inking pen
for it was then I realized
that my demon would reign no more
for it was the ink that now rained
it stormed
it poured
onto the blank pages
endless phrases scripted in verse
and it was there that I found
the secret to her curse
she had no real power
no strength all
for each day she became weaker
as the words splashed upon my wall
I could see them all
free them all
my fears my resentment
my hopes my dreams
the tally recessed by each piece
written in the seams of these streaming beams
I grew strong and my demon now sang
a silent angry song
as her seething gaze peered through me
from beneath her crimson veil
for all along I had the key to her cage
to set her adrift on a sea of jealousy and rage
and now I have her broken
for I have no more secrets to keep
I am naked before her
refreshed from a good nights sleep
holding her flaming red hair
as now she bows before me
in her vengeful glory
but now she no longer is part of my holy story
I shall release her to the four winds
with a parting grin
for in the final chapter I captured her
and vanquished her
with the power of a love that knows no end
found in the flowing waters
and bound by the ink that swims within my pen
and so the ride of the demon ends
as the pride of the poet mends
healed by the reading eyes
on the faces in this book of friends
and I smile now
for I shall never greet her again
I left her there
contorted in the agony of her own solace
ashamed and afraid
for now my glow was too bright
for I am the poet
who now sails on the wings of creative delight
purged this morning in the surging verse
and warmed forever in the written worth
left in the words the grateful poet writes

Thoughts of a Single Man 2012 tm