Vampires

Vampires

A very long time ago, when I was still quite new and young,
The world where I imagined myself was beautiful; untouched by the sun.
I could soak up the moonlight, and was proud of my skin.
I wore no garments at all, and if I did they were thin.

My eyes were pearls, which meant I was blind,
I could see everything though, so I did not mind.
The dew was a song I could feel in my hair,
The sky was awash in stars, and roses grew from the air.

I looked o'er the sky once, as I thought, with my mind,
Colors, green, and bright... eyes open, I was disturbed to find.
The tips of the trees were burning with golden fiery light,
And I ran from my garden towards the black night.

A horse as dark as the sky took me far away,
And soon I found myself hidden from the day.
I slept in the blissful blackness that soothed me,
But sadly that peace was not meant to be.

Soon the corners of the sky turned blue,
I ran to my horse, and he took me still further to
Where women pushed pens into my hand
Bid me sign, and find some man.

Men in dark suits, stiff, and crackling white shirts,
Banshees screaming "Work for us, money soothes all hurts!"
I clung to my black horse, rode through such demonic array
We rode and rode, desperately seeking to escape the day.

Gentle hands of city nymphs tore at my ankles and feet,
Bearing the grins of men who knew no defeat.
Whispering sweetly doubts into my head,
Of how they'd hold me until I was dead.

Still I held the mane of my black horse very tight,
We sailed on, towards neverending night.
Sadly, they came very early and tempted my dark charger away,
With the promise of races, luxury, oats, and full bins of hay.

I ran on my own, fleeing, fast towards pure black skies,
And had yet to see where once there were pearls, were now blue eyes.
Poisonous, spindly spiders of women threw magazines at me,
With pointed teeth said "This is how you should be."

Gradually they tore away all that was left of my pride,
My skin was now dark, that I saw it fit to hide.
My hair grew very light, under the constant pressing of the sun.
There was no returning the dark where I'd begun.

With my world awash now in this bright white light,
I screamed in fear of this terrible, loss of my night.
My terror was so great, overwhelming, to me it seemed,
Worse than any opiate nightmare Percy ever dreamed.

My hair once lovely and dark, is dyed "Berry Berry Red,"
Because that is what the magazines said.
I am a thousand wounds, and how they drink from me,
Where once lived peace, now abodes anxiety.

During the day, I hide asleep in my bed,
Shutting out the light that makes me cringe in dread.
I awaken, sleepy and dreamy, and go to my porch to see the moon.
Though I'm trapped in reality, she assures me I'll be home soon.

I suppose that is what the vampires take from me;
My hope, forever reconstructed nightly from my lunacy.
How horrid it is to be like them, an immortal Creature of the Day.
A striving, driven realist, caring only for caste, and for pay.