Outstretched Screams

They linger here, my demons shady

sailing in storm in yawning mind.

“Come to me,” my mortal demons implore

nibbling on my brain, chewing my psyche.

I smile to hide malignant spirits hovering

thriving darkness commandeering my mind.

Beasts with human faces and coated red skins

dripping with blood, pouring poison on wounds,

smothering me with outstretched screams, as

freezing knife of terror plunges within

while monsters gaily play checkers on my soul.

I suppress these spirits but I can’t release them -

they torment, swimming backstrokes in my skull

I want to flee to the moon to escape their wrath

but they wear dreadful disguise of flaming madness

I cry for relief but no one hears my plaintive cries

Don’t navigate my mind, that’s where demons dwell.