Potential Hostage
Harboring a hostage in my tattered home
Targeting any attempt at infiltration
With investigation and scrutiny
Any chance to come alive
Is met with blind rage
A turn of a page or throwing
The whole book away
To sit in the corner and dress up in dust
Smelling of mold as my leaky pipes rust
Let’s turn away from the smell, at least
We are safe here
At least, our death will be our own
“But don’t you want to blossom?”
To grow?”
Well what if the air is too thin
to feel on your skin?
And besides, the outside is harsher than
Anything else within
Let’s think up more reasons
To stay here and hide
It only takes one to get out there and try
Let’s collect dust
And count panels on the ceiling
Lest we come in contact
With any semblance of feeling
Don’t look at me with those
Sad, hungry eyes
If you think you can hack it, go on then.
Make life a prize
You’re full of potential
Go and be wonderful
Go feel essential
And lovely and powerful
I’m the voice in your head
That guides you
To lie awake in your dread
Most things I say are better left unsaid
I’ll keep you safe
And I’ll protect you
My only condition is that I infect you.
And if you think for a moment
It’s any better out there?
In a world that’s uncertain
Even when you’re prepared?
Then you’re right.