The Sunken Man Is Real

Lying at the bottom of an ocean of tears

held under by the weight of his fear

The Sunken Man is real

and dreaming...

...he convinced her to jump

she fell into his arms

she had to land somewhere

he made sure it was him.

Pretty to look at

delicate in her shell

but no help with demons

his or hers.

Her bad mood lasted a couple of years

they all knew why but never understood

they just hoped for the best and rallied to his cause 

for her sake.

With her, not within her,

where love leaves wounds that never heal

The Sunken Man is real

and dreaming...

...a small child 

music his only companion

riding majestic horses in furious gallop

to the sound of great orchestras

rhythm in his head and his hands.

As a young man

the song, the dream

travels to distant lands to spread the joy of his heart,

his comfort, his music,

it was all he needed.

Now those who share his gift sustain him

and those with none pay him

in compliments and whiskey enough to dull his pain

so he won’t miss what he no longer feels

The Sunken Man is real

and dreaming...

...living with the madness that steals his peace

bottom of the staircase

basement rooms by the ocean

mumbling pleas through squeaky floorboards.

Falling into grey

each session deeper, darker, longer 

and he worries one day he might not make it back.

He did his best before he left

but it's the same all over again:

children of mothers who won't let go

and will not hear his appeal

with no dreams left to steal

The Sunken Man is real.

Ken Owen,  December 2012