Detour

I stood on the edge of the city,
blinded by hoardings and light.
Walking through the empty streets,
like a silent guardian of the night.

There were screams behind closed doors,
where ‘Happily Married’ the signs read.
Claw marks on the doormat,
the windows were all painted red.

They sold morality on brazened roads,
with palms that had deep holes.
Twisted crosses and hollow idols,
seeking redemption through begging bowls.

Silence was a luxury,
the clubs pumped vibrations on the sidewalk.
The crowd swayed in sync,
late to listen and early to talk.

Their souls were lost in ideals,
of what should and should not be.
With blindfolds thicker than race horses,
the truth their hearts could never see.

Before their flat screen mirages,
the masses often mesmerized.
With hi-tech lies and illusions,
on their insecurities they were pried.

Such was the fate of this city,
bound to destruction and doom.
I turned around and walked away,
to the land where lilies bloom.

Bodhi

Vacant skies above,
reflect the darkness in your heart.
If the end is your goal,
where do you even start?

The winds bring no answer,
brushing against this empty shell.
Chaos thrives in the mind,
catacombs deeper than hell.

Do you dig deeper,
when knowledge only leads to pain?
Is there comfort in solitude,
when there is nothing to lose or gain?

Questions pile up quickly,
burying all the self-esteem.
In the realm of cognitive dissonance,
reality feels like a dream.

Confidence falls prey to doubt,
crawling on a razor is the only way.
Death is redemption,
from the clutches of another day.

Voices turn to echoes,
on a rusty ship good judgment departs.
Trying to control everything,
when everything only falls apart.

The bottom is merciless,
on such filth even the fish won’t feed.
Clawing and holding on to something,
when nothing is all you need.

Dawn breaks through dark clouds,
but there is no herald of angels with song.
The answer lies within,
it was within you all along.

Everything disappears with a smile,
a dusty path begins to show.
All your needs on the other side,
instead you feel content in letting go.

Lapse

I fail to remember,
when this journey began.
Can barely recall the first walk,
or the first time I ran.

My feet wore out,
somehow the heart seemed to ache.
Should I even rest,
when there are so many steps to take?

My knees begin to buckle,
does this mean I have to crawl?
Chin on the cold, hard bottom,
is there meaning in struggle at all?

Define a specific purpose,
set all these worldly goals.
If ambition is truly fruitful,
show me how the path unfolds.

My body has been scraped,
trying to make two ends meet.
Comfort is a distant dream,
true happiness I’ve yet to greet.

Each day brings hope,
that is crushed and bound to doom.
Rainbows wither before my eyes,
as the sky slowly falls to gloom.

“Carpe diem,” is what they say,
but that is such a lie.
Barely holding on to an inch of life,
waiting for your turn to die.

A good life is around the corner,
crawl left towards the next bend.
If each day is a new beginning,
I only wish to meet my end.