When I met her the first time it was in a sea of screaming lilies
Each one giving an ecstatic burst of jubilation as we moved through them
She gave me her hand and said her name was Hope.
She kissed the corners of my mouth, where the muscles hurt from smiling too much
I had her, for blessed eternity, this much she swore to me
And when an alarm clock woke me, I tried to rush to her side again, but found only dead weeds and whispers.
When I met her the second time she walked tall through nightmares
She grabbed my hand and our heads were held high as our blood painted the walls
She smiled at me sadly, and said her name was Rememberance.
She sighed in the voice of past lovers, and touched my cheek as only they might.
She was fleeting and her features faded as she melted into the crowd,
and when I woke, I wanted to scream but I didn’t look for her again.
When I met her the third time, she made her presence known with fire.
She gripped my throat, thrust her hand into my heart, and breathed in my manic laughter
Jealousy burned-out her eyes, lust tainted her lips and acrid anger coursed in her veins
She exsanguinated me, told me her name was Inspiration, and she flowed into me until
I thrashed and screamed
I woke from a fever dream, screamed and woke again.
She was fickle and distant and cursed beautiful madness.
When I met her the fourth time, she didn’t say a word.
She kissed each eyelid, with crystalline frost and made a hollow from my chest.
She laid me down for our last moments together and held me as I wept for eternity
She settled everything into weary monochromes and told me her name was Death.
Then she closed my eyes and destroyed the world.
When I woke again, I had lost her name, her face, her tone, her love.
And still I stare in crowds, searching for a dream