Midsummer Dreams and Midnight Seas

Roku Zakoshujin

"Please let me be, let me set myself free,
Can't I break the shackles linking you to me?"
Whispers seep down the endless sea:
"Oh why, oh why, oh why?"

Waking in a village by the blue,
A sickening bloom stained the sky to grey,
A suffocating gloom.
I'd say, "There's no way to escape from that stale midsummer day,
From you, the one I so hate.”

I inked dreams of morning light;
Tried erasing those nights of insomnia,
Fueled with thoughts of you and paranoia.

On the bayside strewn with stones,
Watching waves wander alone;
At the break of dawn,
Though allured by the seascape,
I dove right in and made my escape.

Throwing myself in the tides of a salt-stricken sea,
I burst into ripples where no eyes can see;
Keeping still in a soaking stance,
I smile in silent peace.

I heard your name resound from the edge of the ground,
As a sharp pain stirred my chest and my limbs flailed around;
Float upright, but no one's in sight
But I, but I, and I.

Greeted by another dull sunrise, these ticking deadlines
Push themselves away, contrary to design;
So I dipped my toes once again,
And my chest was drenched in dread.
I said, "I wish you were dead."

But these words, though sharp as knives,
Can't stab through our measly lives.
I let out a sigh,
And the tides crashed in reply 'til the sun died.

Now's another nameless night,
Waves and glimmering moonlight;
"What a lovely sight."
But all things come to an end;
"It's time to end this game of pretend."

So I crashed down as a wake in the star-spotted sea,
Delving deep into my ripping, rippling memories;
Becoming one with the sky, I cry
A lullaby-like plea.

I knew there were some things that I swore I would slight,
But a gloved hand grasped my foot - I needed no lifelines!
Pull me to land, now I'm breathing fine,
But why, but why, but why?

Then the moon retired to the clouds,
And a storm broke out.
Should I say it to you out loud?
"Please begone!"

Let me sleep in this raging night.
When dawn comes, I'll dive and feel alive.
And I'll bathe in the heavenly light.

Dawn came once more,
And I faced the sun greeting the shore.

Kind of.

I feigned this "hate;”
When I leave, at least this weight stays behind:

This "love."

Throwing myself to the tides

Hear the crashes collide

Over this ochre oblivion

Rings my demise!

Sinking still in a soaking stance,
No, your hand won't stand a chance!
Then I cried to the sky over my reddened eyes;
Tears as salty as the sea complete the compromise!
Sleeping soundly on the seafloor,
'Tis I, ‘twas I, only I!

I woke up on the other side,
I saw everything else there was to life.