Therion

I used to think life was simple When I could look in a mirror To see who I am But now I know my reflection lies In the lines of black ink Staining the pages before me. I have etched and inscribed my reflection In much more darkness than light, In the lessons I have learned Through blood And bruises And broken bones, Taught through the scars, Callouses and crooked limbs, They are now part of my reflection too. I am no longer a creature of light I am not a child of the sun I no longer feel truly alive But in the dark forest under the moon. I have stripped naked and ran With other creatures Both seen And occult. I have felt the weight of the night Like fathoms of water I was submerged. I know my balance has shifted Because I no longer weep for the sun I have stopped craving safety Stopped needing comfort And let go of my need To fit into a world That I can no longer understand. I am more beast than man I am more wild than tame I have come to stand tall In the face of death And refuse to bow to kings. I am only what I have survived; I am punishment Fury And pain, I am wrath, Lust And despair A devil who slipped his chains. I have climbed from the pit to howl at the moon with madness and gnash my teeth at raging storms and though I know one day I will break One day I will fall Until that day I will soar free.