Horror Poem, 'A Bird, To Death' by Damien Kane

Deeply cast shadows on the wall, they dance

In some twisted illusion of naked romance,

As I wake from my horrors of a broken mind,

My memories haunt me and in me, they grind.

Eyes open wide to accept the light,

Body recovering from the fright.

I look at the clock but it seems without power

Just a dead black box: in my bed, I cower.

Then a noise flies to my ears

Awakening more of my inner fears,

I don’t want to move and my body agrees

But it’s only a dream but in my mind, it feeds.

I pinch my arm but I’m still right here

And my heart pounds faster, fearing the fear,

So my fingers crawl to the edge of my sheet

And finding the floor, I place my feet.

My hands feel cold on the warm brass handle,

The light switch broken – now where’s the candle?

Downstairs, the kitchen, the same as the sound

Which no longer exists from being drowned.

But then I see beyond the darkness

Two bright eyes – no mistaking their sharpness.

The neighbours cat, probably grinning at me,

Waiting for its third degree.

But a pain in my back makes me fall down,

And I tumble over stairs, splitting my crown

And I look up to see before I die

A little bird chirping goodbye.