Red, by Amory McKeever

True loves first kiss
they were so sure
would be the end of this
that was the cure

Brave was every man
who would try to make their way
Through the barren land
all night and day

In spite of acid rain
falling from her eyes
To defeat the years of pain
to overcome the lies

Each and every knight
ignored the bodies of the past
Armed with ego's might
claimed to be the last

Oh darling

You can look but you can't touch

Now you can touch but you can't keep

She'll let you fall madly in love

Then she'll kill you in your sleep

She was a trophy to win
they'd conquer her in bed,
but for those she let in
it was off with their heads

They thought that they were great
men of reputation

They all fell for the bait
of her beguiled flirtation

Notches on her bedpost
they would all become
Wander around like ghosts
who died one by one

Thinking she was fragile
oh how they got played
It was them who were unraveled
by her tempestuous charade

She wasn't just the cherry
for some little boys ice cream

She wasn't Miss February
in some losers wet dream

She wasn't a ceramic doll
for someone else to smash
She was a fireball
a phoenix rising from the ash

Seeing how she slayed them all
you might find it unfair
But that'll be your downfall
you will not be spared

She'll lure you in with promises
that you're the special one,
but soon you'll be anonymous
one more suit of armor undone

Oh darling

You can look but you can't touch

Now you can touch but you can't keep

She'll let you fall madly in love

Then she'll kill you in your sleep

True loves first kiss
they say that it's the cure
to bring an end to this
I am not so sure

Proper Vows, by Amory McKeever

Will you hold me tight

Even if I let go of my body
Will you settle for broke

If we're up nights praying for the lottery

Will you kiss my mouth

The very same one that cusses you out

Will you be strong

Because I can't carry all this doubt

Will you hold my hand

Whisper softly to calm my fists

Will you forgive

Despite my guilt for causing all of this

Will you stick around

When I play cruel and unusual games

Will you understand

That it's coming from a place of shame

Will you look back

At whatever made you fall in love

Will you ignore

That who I am is not enough

Will you be my fan

If you hear someone tear me down

Will you be my worst critic

If you see me outgrow my crown

Will you wear my ring

Even if all it's made of is copper

Will you be my queen

If all I am is the king of paupers

Will we grow old
Waiting in line at the pharmacy
Get our prescriptions filled
So we can drift off to sleep

An Abduction, by Amory McKeever

A silver falcon

Faster than I've ever seen

Across the sky back and forth

Went south at first then went north

Came back and stopped above my head

A blast of light felt cold and dead

I'm dragged across a dirty floor

like sand and seaweed

On a deserted shore

You would hate this place

If it were you

And preach to me

Of the golden rule

Yet here I am

Your stepping stool

Their grip tight around my neck

Pulls me into a darkened box

So small that I could barely fit

How long it was I forget

They injected me with chemicals

Shoved me down into a pit

Caged me in so casual

To them I’m just an animal

There were walls I couldn't see

Tunnels made of stars and stone

The only sound was my screams

And I soon forgot the smell of home

Is this what happened to my friends

Is this where they met their ends

You would hate this place

If it were you

And preach to me

Of the golden rule

Yet here I am

Your stepping stool

Should I even count the days

Since these kidnappers

Flew away with us like prey

They seem to come in many shapes

Tall ones, short ones, fat ones, thin

I fear they'll get my family too

They watch me with a toothy grin

Sign says "Welcome to the Zoo"

You would hate this place

If it were you

And preach to me

Of the golden rule

Yet here I am

Your stepping stool

If you can ignore enslavement

There’s nothing left to say

Enjoy your entertainment

This one is for Harambé

If you can ignore enslavement

There’s nothing left to say

Enjoy your entertainment

This one is for Harambé

This one is for Harambé

This one is for Harambé

Ripper Whispers, by Amory McKeever

I command the night with such precision

To board my carriage a horrid decision

But with these grapes I have calmed your nerve

So much so you'll never mind the swerve

I'll begin at your breast with a prompt incision

And open your heart to hell's cruel excision

Your muffled screams are merely hors d'oeurves

For it's your death, my dear lady, I plan to serve

Between your legs I'll slice at the division

This murder surgery according to my vision

I've severed your beauty, your veins, and your curves

That I've been swift is all you whores deserve

Rejuvenation, by Amory McKeever

Page one of my sorcerers tome

Manifests for the homeless a home

With these incantations I speak

Strength shall embolden the weak

Page five of my conjurers script

Dissolves our bonds to the crypt

My words like waves from the sea

Create new limbs for the amputee

Page ten of my ancient grimoire

A cure for violence, hate, and war

Prayers for those who suffer great

Understanding so we all can relate

Last page of my magical scroll

Brings a calming peace to the soul

Finally, to the next wizard I tell

Do as I did, and all will be well

I believe grief has many stages

And some pain, nothing assuages

So I keep searching through these pages

hoping to pay the wages

For just a moment of relief

Deployed, by Amory McKeever

I taste rust and salt
I remember John Galt
That book was a lie
So it must be their fault

I gave myself for another

Asked them to give for me

Only to find myself wanting

Both hands left empty

I smell almonds and cherries

A thick cloud of scary

On barbed wire my brother

With no one left to carry

We move forward without him

Come back later and bury

I taste salt and rust

Holding up my sign

To Bagdad or bust

Reached the end of my trust

I'm all out of ammo

Just left in the dust

I thought we here

To bring an end to the violence

They cut transmission
Radio Silence

It is all their fault

Behind enemy lines

I taste rust and salt

An Expanse, by Amory McKeever

"Close the door behind you."
Said the one to whom I pray.
"I've done about all I could,

and done it for so many days.

Where did I go wrong with this,

how do I fix this place?"

I asked if I could be to be up front,

and not beat around the bush.

I needed to be very blunt,

without him feeling pushed.

He told me he could handle it,

and to proceed with his blessing.

He wanted to hear the truth,

because the world had him stressing.

Well first I told him right away,

the planets need a change.

Spinning smashing balls of clay

just seems awfully strange.

Then you have this mortal coil

that ties all living things.

When they could just be immortal,

like trees with endless rings.

Why have a trillion stars,

if all but one percent are bare?

Why not a planet for every heart,

or at the most, a pair?

Did you really need tectonic plates,

and waves a mile high?

Over half the things you did create,

want the other half to die.

Viruses, and botulism.

Cancer cells that eat our brains.

Hate that breaks us into schisms,

and lock each other up in chains.

So many problems could be solved,

if we just had our own planes.

Solitary, snow globe worlds,

without all the needless shaking.

Vast expansive peaceful places,

this is what you could be making.

However, you should probably know,

that nothing will be perfect.

So long as you make free people,

suffering is the side effect.

If you really want a Universe pristine.

One that will not end in ruin.

A place free from evil's twisting.

Creating nothing is the only shoo-in.