Eyes bright and heart hollow                                     Flames seep out                                     Of these grinning fellows                                     Shadows abound outside                                     Ready to scare                                     But around the lanterns                                     They do not dare                                     For behind these fruits’                                     Friendly façade                                     Are dark souls                                  Spilling blood                                     These souls have hurt others                                     ...

Your movementsdebauched but steadyprecise like you arealways at the ready But your actionsare now instinctiveyou blend right inwith the crowd Your social cues performedwith perfect precisionno one even noticesthe undiluted shell you’ve become Your balance is offyou are strugglingto find your centeryour feet arenot touching the ground And like a pendulumyou swingwith every feelingyour core ...

Illuminated skull Misshapen by shadows Casting a gaunt face Held tightly against the bones By shimmery tacks of light A hollow vessel, for nothing, resides Where shadows hide Unilluminated, darkened by the increasing black shadows Stealing peace of mind Agitation in the jaw Grinding broken teeth Like shattered glass Embedded in the gums and the ...