There is no denying

There is no denying

The flesh and bones of it.

Avoiding mirrors

Other than a brief glance

Which adds little to belief

Or self-determination,

Is no respite.

The temptation

To walk in darkness

Is as painful as the guilt

Of self-absorption,

Hearts can be like that

Afraid of drowning.

Where do you hide

When the lights go up

Walking in daylight

Trying to hold on

To a welcome thought

Never knowing who you are going to be

From one hello to the next,

Lost in spite of direction.

Trying to find respite

In disconnection

Is a pointless exercise.

Trying to exorcise demons

With whisky

Is only as good as the company

You keep.

When everything is pushed

To one side and

All that remains

Is a toothbrush.

Fading to grey in a blackout

Waking at the foot of the bed

The deception

Of tomorrow

As gone as yesterday.

Once upon a time

You found redemption

In the touch of her skin.

The heat of her body

It is never the same in a dream.

Never kick a dog

When it’s sleeping

In truth, it might

Be only one dream short of a nightmare.

Waking up without a reflective ceiling

To shed light on the bones,

Stripped of flesh and blood,

Dragged back from the graveyard

Undercover of darkness

Is never as easy

As it might appear.