Ex-Substantial

All the Kings and Queens of paradise lost, Dwelling in affections undetermined, unrequited. Vacant grins to idly pass the such wasted time, and words, hollow as the origins of their progenators. Softly, however, stirs a silent heart, numbed. A few sweet words awaken, blindly, And ignorance or innocence should hold sway. Soon, the familiar call of the setting sun, Affections rise and fall in such a way, That all bright light perceived in that soon will fade. For all words of jealousy, but for one denied, Curiosity peaked, and fervent questions Guided by inevitable betrayals. Though all those questions, asked in pessimistic yield

It was that time of night, the one where you're not sure whether or not to call it morning, and the darkest hour is long over. I was staring out the window, uncertain of anything. Trusting the wrong people is just as bad as trusting no one at all... probably worse for the ramifications that can come about. I'd spent my life running away from people and their opinions, and I suppose it was about time that life caught up. All this time, I'd been pretending that I would be fine, just as long as I could pretend that the world didn't exist. It really was just a figment of my imagination. Every smoldering bit of ash in the tray seemed to be scream

It wasn't that I had kept my eyes shut throughout that time, just mostly that I'd never really wanted to bother. The days were simple, and gray; always raining but today felt different. I heard a voice carrying softly on the wind, through the bar; my hat tipped over my eyes, and leaning back in my chair, I raised it a bit to take in my surroundings, and scout around for the sound of honey in a pile of shit. There, in the far end of the pub, I saw her standing there. She wore a heavy overcoat, tied in the front. It was brown, and aged; perhaps not aged so much as well used and well-loved. Her eyes darted uncertainly as men gawked, a few getti