I. Blue chamber
Take my hand, feel for flesh
beneath the glove, the mask
Catch the notes slipping through
the air (your fingers)
Dance until we die and await the
resurrection
Listen closely.
We will come alive again
To Beauty and light off stained
glass and liquor off stained hands
When the laughter filling the
room suddenly.
II. Purple chamber
Pick up the tempo, lying in pieces
on the floor.
Let’s hold happiness close to our
chests and never talk of why
Kiss unfamiliar lips and pry off
masks with curious fingers
Guess, guess:
Who am I?
Who are you?
Why are we here aflame with
gaiety and glitter
When the world outside is aflame
with the Decay and screams of
children?
Is that why when the clock
commands it, we
III. Green chamber
We didn’t used to be this happy, don’t you
never want to remember?
But drowning in velvet you can’t come up for
air (your touches)
Can’t cry through the smiles. We are prisoners
to fancy.
Give me a gilded cage and I will throw away
the key.
The musicians are steeling themselves, watch,
Awaiting the second of bliss, when their world
can finally
IV. Orange chamber
I have sealed this masquerade
Running through each separate room is
a murmur
A brush along your fingertips.
You could not feel me grasp your hand
and ask,
“Shall we?” Shall we rise above the
revelers
Leave the floor and feel the energy
pulse through the room
Then…finally…everyone
just…everything just
V. White chamber
I am the phantasm, the Avatar of hunger
But you danced a little too much like a
heartbeat (your life)
And I was too little like a pendulum with no
pit beneath it.
Dance. You will die. I will eat you alive
And blood will stain the shining floors
And blood will stain the dancers
And blood will stain the musicians
And the revelers
And the ebony clock will
VI. Violet chamber
Please
VII. Red chamber
And each dies in the despairing posture of his
fall
And the life of the ebony clock goes out with
the last of the gay (the final)
And the flames of the tripods expire
And Darkness and Decay
And I hold illimitable dominion over all.
Take a moment, look around, and
STOP.