Tenebros Poem by Nathan Beery

Ghosts casting long shadows,
The demons howling-
The banshee this night crying-
And even my own shadow is creeping
Poison, the serpent's apple-
Crawling through my mind-
Blurring the world in my eyes
Turning dark and strange-
Thrown into hell and the Lion's den
These screams won't cease-
Merciful God! I ask release!
The wolves are howling-
Biting at the bit-
Blood dripping from the lip-
The Lion's clawing, rending that flesh-
Burning hell is, all I see-
And we're dancing? Aren't we?
Fragile, as precious certainty-
God it's hot, and what more?
She's now lying dead upon the floor...
The shadows creeping, crawling...flee-
Leaving only moments of terrified sanity-
Cruel god, the demon is me...
The Beast, shadows overwhelming me...