The Party

Shadows creep across the walls and canter ‘round the bed
They catch in the curtains, all lunacy and lace
Then swing above me like manic monkeys,
throwing insults like excrement into my open ears

In the dining room, the guests have brought plus ones
Uninvited extras who gorge themselves on canapés,
swallow wine like water
And stumble past the buffet to vomit on my shoes

When all the guests have gone, I find those extras still,
dancing with the rabid shadows, keeping perfect time
Then as I, with two left feet, join in
they make a ring around me, and press in close

With both eyes shut, I dance to the beat of my own heart,
sweating in the cloak of couples loping to their own horrid songs
Songs of mutilation and deprecation, my ears bleeding with them
I fall and burn my knees, and laughter rebounds off my bedroom walls

I awake sometime later with eyes full of fear
The sun casting new, stoic shadows through my window,
familiar voices echoing twisted sentiments,
and a tuneless song running circles in my head