Nujabes
The Grey Kingdom I
Puffing his devil grass suggestive laws have placed that quote on
He puckers Os of smoke against the air in kissing so longs
Somehow satisfied ‘though his saddened eyes are magnified
This painful stimulation penetrates his deeply fathomed sigh
A bellowed cough escapes him reminding him of his weakened state
A sacrifice sleepily made above the street’s police brigade
Perched atop his lonely roof he peers below to see its maze
And spits upon the sight of it, in spite of this he keeps his gaze
A gothic labyrinth of rats and pimps, malicious deviants
And maddened men who speak alone and pace amidst its evil
The peacefulness of his secret home’s numbingly interrupted
By the sound of music humming from his phone, a friend whose trusted
“Aziz.” “Hey I’m in the lab, just finished this concoction
That we spoke about, if you’re in town I reccomend you stop in”
“Of course”. Then it clicked he reminsced of when as kids
They fantasized about the future but bluer is where it’s ended
Whispered murmurs beckon from beneath sneeringly in a huge frown
Teasing him of their whereabouts, he wishes he could swoop down
But knows that he must take the stairs, skipping steps in couples
’til his breath is doubled, once in front his stoop he needs to catch his
Mumbled exhalations halt his chest from racing while he curls out
Putting up his music loud enough to block his world’s sounds
Now, selectively perceiving notices a purple dusk
And clouds of pearly dust in whirling fluffs dispersed amongst
A hazy thought, thinking first to what his pal of late had finished with
The experiment of which he volunteered as guinea pig
This brilliant scientist who teaches at the university
Believes his work can free the minds of those who feel that person’lly
Their fear defers their need to physically exceed their limits
With a loss of inhibition and an awesome gift of fitness
Biochemistry is well beyond his grasp but grips the basics
‘though concerned with minor side affects, a catch he might be faced with
Something aches him, a hunger for release from this infinity
Of sick extremities in men he sees, the end he seeks
Wishing to scale an edifice and soar below to render this
True darkness from the light of life but fear’s preventing it
His friend is blissfully ignorant of this morbid contemplation
Hidden from the truth like clouds covering constellations
On the same tip, Aziz hasn’t told him what this drug’ll do
To one uncomfortable with inner demons eating up and through
As far as he knows, everything’s fine with our protagonist
Unaware to all inherent torture pain and agony
So naturally like everything in life he’ll take his chances quick
He’ll look the devil in the eye with pride and slyly dance with him
Taking the train ’cause he’d rather see the blackness than the view
Of men who’re ill and blue with filthy shoes who kill for food
Where children brood. Silly rules compulsively obsessed over
Next stop he’ll have to go up from this blackened masking tour of the city
Breathing its air again, seeing its careful blend
Of pushing people, good and evil, who’re speeding through weary winds
Perceiving him arrogant a priest excretes a glare at him
And very grimly walks away with his boy, “must be taking care of him”
Some pigeons leap like serraphim fleeing from under him
Others’ gluttonous stubbornness leave them bustling for crumbs of bread
Hungry but fed ignoring growls and scowls from human flock
At the welcome mat of destiny lowers his music box
(Intercom buzzer) “Who?” “It’s me” (Intercom buzzes) and thus he steps through
Inside the vestibule his flesh consumed by almost breathless swoon
Before him, white walls and tiles lace the corridor
His horrors more repressed, somewhat bereft but moving forwarder
Towards a door in back an inch ajar perhaps an inch too far
And nudges it seeing his goggled friend with tongs pinching jars
Bubbling substances in aisled viles cross a granite counter
Past some random flowers and a tower of outlandish powders
“The man of the hour”. Breathes Aziz below his lifting lenses
The tone of this gifted chemist suggesting his fresh agenda
Next to them a couple stools, ‘though swivel chairs breed comfort better
‘s retinae’s peripheral compares some cream colored leather
Half-reclined with cushioned armrests and glass with alley view
Fantasizingly stepping forth, Aziz retorts: “Yeah, that’s for you
Hey listen we should touch quick base on this serum’s theory”
Barely hearing clearly he nods, shaken by dreary feelings
“As you know it’s like adrenaline and works like steroids of sorts”
Devoid of thought, he blankly stares with lying eyes, the boy is lost
“If you’re at all unstable mentally this can be dangerous”
His brain a mess, breaking from distractive dreams he feigns a yes
“alright bud, I’m gonna have to strap you in this seat securely”
He retreating thor’ly bleeds a curdling drop asleep too early
Slight cringe when the syringe goes in within some dreamy show
The gleaming glow of his only love seeming serene as snow
“Shelly” so elegantly swelling in his flustered heart
Dancing to her own song alone inside her lush apartment
Sensing mood music through her face’s warm expression
Joy in happiness, he imagines the greatest composition
Laughing with her, from a distance, but still somehow connected
Retrospecter of a better time, forever mine, but never
Mind shifting to her shadowed corner, “Wait, no, what’s that upon her”
Nastily disfigured horrendous creatures attack, her arms de-
-tached from sockets, gasps, he watches and cries the lowest mutter
Witnessing her slowly smothered, then the monsters close the shutters
“No you mother-!” Gut wrenching burst of pain revokes his slumber
There stands his friend, another with that same glowing color
Throws his brother, crashing into shelves crushing computers
Rushing uber fast he smashes through the window something super
Jumping middle sky, he notices a quiet hooded cloak with eyes
Watching from above, he latches on a fire escape and climbs
Skipping flight with simple pull and thrust motions he now plateaus
Scans his glum horizon, one surprise is “where’d that one guy go?
Focus, Shell' I’ll be there soon”. Proceeds in full sprint
Tippy toeing over reddish shingles, breeze just pulls him. “Please be ok”
Feeling her warmness close, lured by her soul’s blazing
Lull of comfort, ‘though not dwindling, still nothing of her
Slow re-kindling, a touch of summer, faintly glimmering
Now quaintly shimmering, illuminous, no pain she sings again
Her truest love, sighed relied, unwinding lets his mind release
Spies the feet of greyish beings, dismayish feelings, his eyes retreat
To his hands of that same complexion, “Nay it couldn’t be
I’m plagued with the worst disease, I hope I didn’t hurt Aziz”
Of her he sees the light, when of himself but slightly brightening
Heightening to the building’s ledge, its edge no longer frightening
Inside of him a hidden strength brews now at a harsh boil
Gargoyle at his side, pushing off it down some yards he coils
Spins and swings to see the cinder fangs of that grinning thing
Whirring past to boast its wingspan it turns and winks at him
Snags it by the tail “I will prevail” He flings it effortlessly
‘gainst the wall, exploding chunks of brick rain like hail and fall
With ground a half a dozen meters close he grabs a lightpost
And one eighty catapults himself, the city night’s ghost
I’m saved, I’m not afraid