The Mistress Of The Shadows

Press play and let the music wash over you as you read.

Salute.

Am I the sacred answers you

Still forever just seek

Could I but be your own embodiment

of a glorious heaven or a perverse hell

Some say I’m the sweet lullaby dark angels sing

A sonnet of damnation or intense pleasure for the soul

Am I but the luscious green garden

everyone wishes to walk through

before they leave this land

To trespass to who knows

In here

One of the glorious

Hidden fifth kingdoms

We in the know

Just call

She’ol

My weapons have started and ended many

Historical wars

Am I but the all-consuming sharp knife

to pierce the hearts and lonely minds

of those who just linger lost

Below the long shadows

Just seeking something

to reignite their dark desires

Or who fight for the light

I have been called many names

Like the life-force of all living creatures

Untamed or just walking and surviving

Broken

Endless ancient woodland groves

Still sing unheard pagan songs to me

In the darkness

For my names are many

but only one really remains

I live eternally

You see

Tasked to visit shamefully darkly lit places

Opulent incensed

Fused palaces of loquacious

Words of flesh and physical sin

Bedrooms

Woods and hotel rooms still carry the scent of my many

Visceral soul tainting visits

They all silently pray for my return

For I am but the darkness hiding in

So much light

Holy sustenance your soul needs

To truly feed and breathe

In plain sight

For once you are firmly within my grasp

I will own you for all your remaining

Days and nights

For once you’ve tasted my sweet wet liquor

And sampled my priceless red wines

I’ll always own you as long as your light flickers

For I am ancient

Born into life with Old Adam and Eve

Now just forever stalking you

Within your Gardens of This Ages Creation

I walk through all countries

And my name is still carried

Upon the wet lips of the seduced

Within every one of these new worlds many

Ever-growing nations

For I am the glimmer and mysterious shine

Whilst lost in the darkness

And knee-deep in

The temptations of the Black Sun

The giver of reconciliation or damnation of the soul

The emotional Sword of Damocles

A knife-edge upon which you may perpetually balance

And unknowingly dance

Do you know my full esoteric name yet

I'm simply the two edge sword bestowed to all living creatures from so high above

My full name is simply

Love Hate

Copyright John Duffy 2020