SULLEN

SULLEN
BY JAMES A. GALGANO

WE THOUGHT WE KNEW
THE MINIMAL NIGHTMARES
ABOUT EACH OTHERS' INTENTIONS
THE WIND SEARING AT OUR TENDRILS
AS WE TORE EACH OTHER APART
AT OUR ALREADY FRAYED SEAMS
WHERE HUMANITY INCESSANTLY HIDES
WHISPERING THE ENDLESS NAMES
OF THE DECEASED OR DISAPPEARED
AS UNKNOWN SOLEMN VEHICLES
WHISK THEIR PRECARIOUS FUTURE
INTO ETERNAL NIGHT 'S EMBRACE

WE BELIEVED WE HAD COURAGE
TO WITHSTAND THE ONCOMING TRAIN
RUSHING OVER OUR NERVOUS HOPES
AND TAKING OUR FRAGILE DREAMS
THROUGH FUTURE'S REVOLVING DOOR
WHERE INNOCENCE SELLS ITS SOUL
FOR MONEY FROM ANY NIHILIST PASSERBY
SURVIVAL NOW THE ONLY KEY
TO UNLOCK OUR COMPROMISED IDEALS
WHILE WE VACATION ON THE SHORE
OF SOME DISTANT POLLUTED SEA
CLINGING TO THE IDLE CHATTER
OF MINDLESS MODERNITY FRINGE GROUPS
DRESSED FROM HEAD TO TOE
IN THE BEST OF PLASTIC SURGERY'S COSTUME

WE CHOSE OUR BATTLES POORLY
WADING THROUGH MIRE OF BROKEN PROMISES
HIDING IN THE TRENCHES OF OUR TORTURED TEARS
REDUCED TO BEGGING FOR A FEW MORE MOMENTS
OF YOUTHFUL DESIRE OF HEARTTS IDLE YOUNG
WHO SOLD THEIR OWN SOULS TO ESCAPE OUR AGED FEARS
BARTERING WHAT'S LEFT OF THEIR IDEALISM
TO AVOID WHAT WE OURSELVES HAD BECOME
IN THE TREMBLING TEMPLES OF PASSING YEARS
MERE MORTALS WHO THOUGHT WE KNEW BETTER,
BUT BY OUR OWN DEVICES HAD BEEN UNDONE
LEFT WITH SUCH A SULLEN GRIMACE
OF WHAT WILL COME FINALLY WHO
WE NEVER WISHED TO EVER BECOME SO EASILY