Remember when they told us

That love was enough

That the world was fair

And to never give up

And we lived without care

Cause the stories they told us were true

Remember when I told you

My name at the store

And we both became shy

While we both wanted more

We decided to try

And we knew what we wanted to do

Remember when you told me

Till death do us part

Till the end of the world

Then I gave you my heart

And we danced and we whirled

And both our lives had just started new

Remember how we loved

So full of bright light

And we both were content

And it all seemed so right

Through where ever we went

Even when our small family grew

But I don't quite remember

When your mind slipped

Or when the fights started

When we went off script

When the plan departed

Just that I was left without a clue

Remind me when you told me

I wasn't enough

That you wanted more

Your voice and hand rough

You went through the door

Even when I cried and screamed for you

How I wish I could forget

When you served the divorce

When she caught your eye

When my life went off course

You didn't even say good bye

You just left me with a mournful view

Dont you remember when love was enough

To keep you here with me

And now here you are

Saying you're sorry

You shouldnt have left

Crying out your plea

Your tongue just as deft

As the day you left me crying for you

You want me to remember

When we were happy

When life was good

Our hearts were so sappy

So free of falsehood

And when we were one instead of two

But all that i remember

Is how much it hurt

And how deep it cut

How tears stain my shirt

You say you love me

But all I can here is goodbye from you

The weary soldiers came

To spit and angry

Is this how we thank them

For their hard spent long years?

Where were the hugs

And the welcome home signs

The emotional families

And the thankful cheering lines

Home from the war

And worse for the wear

The Vietnam soldiers

Had so much to bear

I look at him now

Proud in old age

And feel such shame

For the protesters rage

I want to say thank you

And give him a kiss

He lost so much before

So many good friends to miss

My Grandpa stands ready

He remembers those days

When he fought to protect us

In so many ways

Now we salute

And thank our brave troops

Now we understand

Our world needs those brave groups

We can still understand

War is a crime

But those who stand and fight

Are heroes of their time

I can not escape

The beast in my mind

I can not hide from

Him or his kind

I can guard my heart

From what's outside

But how do i fight

When the threat is inside

Doubt, self hatred

Anxiety, fear

These are the monsters

Who are always near

Always so loud

When i try to ignore

Always so eager

To mess with the score

They laugh and

And they whisper into my ear

Hateful things

I do not want to hear

The dream starts like most do. I’m wandering around laughing, having fun. As is the way in most dreams I don’t quite know where I am. I know I’m having fun wanderiwandering , but the setting I’m in seems to change every time I look around. Despite the fluid scenery I feel calm and content. As I walk I find myself outside enjoying the sun. But I slowly become aware of a shadowed crowd gathering in the background. As I turn to face them I realize that the beings moving around behind me, though human in shape, are not people like I thought they were. They are hideous creatures with gray flesh falling from their bodies, dead, staring eyes, and gaping mouths that emit groaning howls. As fear begins to seep into the dream I attempt to flee the monsters, yet though I ran hard, sprinting through multiple scenes, I am unable to escape the decaying creatures behind me. As my fear grows stronger the world around me seems to grow darker and more desperate. Though I pass through many crowds in my attempts to flee the dream, it is as though I exist on a different plane than them. Though I can see and hear them, they remain ignorant of my pleas for help, never noticing me or my pursuers. I run hard, pushing myself to go as fast as I can, fleeing through stores, houses, and deserted streets, never escaping that which has driven my state of fear into blind all consuming panic. As the dream continues I am unsure of whether I have been running for days or for seconds. I know only that my legs feel slow as though stuck in molasses, and my fear has infected the dream to the point where everything around me has grown dark and been twisted into intimidating shapes that seem to reach out towards my fleeing form in an attempt to ensnare me as I run. Finally, I come to a familiar setting. I find myself inside my grandparents’ house. The house is filled with my family as though it was Christmas time. Everyone is talking and laughing, the rooms are bright and warm, the tv plays in the background constantly switching between sports. For a moment I pause and enjoy this new scene. I’m happy, surrounded by family and in a safe, welcoming setting. I began to believe that I had finally escaped and so, allowed myself to relax once more. But my moment of peace is shattered as the light, and sound of laughter drain from the scene leaving me in cold shadows with my family crowded in one room standing stiff and still as statues. My moment of hesitation has allowed the creatures to catch up to me. I try to hold on to my family as the gruesome, decaying creatures enter the room pushing me back with nowhere to run. I stare at the creatures in horror as their moans fill the room. I turn back to my family to beg for help, or to at least see a friendly face, but as I turn I realize my family is gone. Instead I am surrounded by monsters pressing in closer, reaching out with clawed hands towards me. As the monstrous crowd closes in I scream out desperately crying for my family, even as I realize I’ve been left alone with no hope of survival. All I can do as hands grab and tear at my clothes and flesh is close my eyes and scream

Its cover creaking open

Tempting me to look

I glanced across the room and saw

A rather ancient book

Its pages old and brittle

Its cover cracked and worn

The writing fading off its pages

Its spine was split and torn

I slowly crossed the room

And bent down just to see

I asked the book its secrets

And it began to talk to me

It told me of long lost times

And of their Queens and Kings

It showed me ancient lands

Upon its paper wings

Its cover creaking open

Tempting me to look

I glanced across the room and saw

A rather ancient book

Its pages old and brittle

Its cover cracked and worn

The writing fading off its pages

Its spine was split and torn

I slowly crossed the room

And bent down just to see

I asked the book its secrets

And it began to talk to me

It told me of long lost times

And of their Queens and Kings

It showed me ancient lands

Upon its paper wings

My love was a warrior

A strong hearted man

The beast was a monster

That my love tried to ban

The beast plagued our village

It hunted us all

My love went to fight it

He rode off proud and tall

So  I followed after

To watched him battle the beast

He was sure he would win

And come home to a feast

He fought long and hard

And deeply injured his foe

But the beast was too strong

It broke his sword, spear, and bow

It grabbed him in claw

And flew far away

The killer of men

Had captured its prey

Now I stood before it

Preparing to fight

I prayed to my God

For his righteous might

I had hunted all day

To find its cave

Now here I stood

Trying to be brave

It had stolen my love

The beast stole him from me

I was here to retrieve him

I would set my love free

Vicious claws like knives Rigid scales like gold

A feline body

Fearsome to behold

Long sharp teeth

Keen eyes dancing with glee

I saw the beast

And the beast saw me

I looked past the beast And saw my love by the wall

Unconscious, unmoving And deaf to my call

The Beast tossed back its head

And threw open its jaw

It let out a roar

The sound of hell’s deepest flaw

I drew my sword

And steeled my will

It sharpened its claws

Eager for the kill

My sword shone ever ready

My heart beat ever strong

I charged the fearless beast

My battle cry a piercing song