Darkly, tendrils of mist grasp at the night
weaving a blanket that covers all light.
Yet even the blackness cannot consume
the shimmering spires that rise through the gloom.
An area of town that is well past it prime,
it is known less for beauty now than for its crime.
Tall stands the cathedral, rising out of the blight.
It’s door standing open, a promise of light.
Into this hope comes a villainous soul.
Through violence and death, he has taken control
of the cowering victims, the stores on the street,
and he thinks with this conquest, his dominion complete.
Moving from shadow, he boldly walks to the door.
At this late hour, his steps ring on the floor
and hollowly echo off the ceiling far above…
a stirring of wings… maybe pigeons or doves?
He walks to the altar and writes out his claim.
With a can of spray paint he writes words profane
then he adds his mark, his own personal brand
that will tell everyone that this is HIS land.
As he steps back to admire he looks up at the cross
and a laugh leaves his lips as he says “I’m the boss!
You may have the weak fooled with your fairy tales
but to me your just plaster secured by three nails!”
“This place is now mine and I don’t like to share.”
Now filled with dark rage, he picks up a chair
but as he goes to swing it, he feels himself rise
as dark grey hands grab him, he’s locked in a vise.
Deformed visages leering as if from a dream,
cruelly shaped mouths with teeth that seemed to gleam,
obscenely shaped bodied, more chiseled than grown,
these were his captors as he felt himself flown.
His voice was forgotten, no cry could he make,
his brain couldn’t comprehend for sanity’s sake
but he felt his soul weeping in torrents of loss
as he was carried to the dark side of the cross.
Talons ripped at his clothing until he was denuded
then he was impaled on the nails that protruded.
Cruelly they ripped through his hands and his feet
as he hung there in a parody, now finally complete.
The black side of the cross now began to revive
as his blood was absorbed, it was almost alive
and he felt himself changing, from skin and bone
as he was slowly devoured and turned into stone…
Dawn on a new day, the sun bright in the sky,
“Something looks different” said one passer by.
“I’m sure it’s just light and shadows and such”
Stone eyes watch a kingdom they can no longer touch…
Author notes
Daemon: a subordinate deity, as the genius of a place or a person's attendant spirit.
Prompt: Anything Goes!
Picture Credit: http://evils-babe.deviantart.com/art/Gargoyle-51211943
No limits
A contest entry
- From the Archives by Sakka Seishin.
600 points, ended July 9, 2008, 11 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Anything Goes by silentxparadise93.
600 points, ended September 11, 2008, 80 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Critical Comments Always Welcome
Comments
1 - 9 of 9
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Wooh! What a story!! I was absolutely intrigued. Very well done.
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Superb writing!
I thoroughly enjoyed this write, and didn't want it to end.
You grabbed my attention, and played with my mind...Bravo!
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Wonderfully Sinister
This captivated me entirely! It was almost addictive, I just couldn't stop reading it. My favorite stanza was this one
"“This place is now mine and I don’t like to share.”
Now filled with dark rage, he picks up a chair
but as he goes to swing it, he feels himself rise
as dark grey hands grab him, he’s locked in a vise."
That was probably the part at which I was the most enticed. It made my heart feel gripped with fear. Absolutely wonderful, this could become a famous classic one day. I suggest you get it copyrighted and publish it in a paper or some form of literature. I adored this. Excellent, Fantastic, Wonderful, Great, Good, Fabulous, and all that jazz. You have talent, keep up the good work.
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Great
This was a very well written poem, the rhymes were great and didn't seem forced at all. The use of adjectives made it really seem like a place I could almost see in my mind. Awesome job
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so cooL!
love the rhyme! noticed you've been doing a lot of that lately
and you are an excellent dark writer
you don't need luck wishes for this contest!
~s.p.
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Great read
when I read this, it makes me think of someone being trapped my the very thing they don't believe in. Some people think that they control everything when in truth everybody answers to someone wether they like it or not. I like the part where the cross seems to come to life. Those particular lines are inteense.
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It's Just Right!
Starts off with just the right tenor and rises to a perfect crescendo. I used to watch horror with my brother, Wayne, when we were kids, and that's the key.
Great intro into the dark realm.
Congrats.
Regards,
Jennifer
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You are right, I did enjoy this. I am not into dark stuff, but this piqued my interest. It is so hard for me to imagine this rolled out on the paper like you mentioned...because the words seem so thought out. Well done, poet.
Cheryl
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WOW, I wanted to keep reading Ken. Superbly written my friend. I love the tale it tells. Stunning piece of work!!
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