DEATH DANCES

Death dances, swirls, surrounds me,

He presents his bittersweet ballet,

Haunts me, taunts me, longs to seduce me,

Lures me closer with his sad serenade.

He burns the candles and dims the lights,

Promises nothing short of the divine,

Romances, entices, whispers sweet nothings,

Ensures me the pleasure is all mine.

His icy-cold fingers brush softly against me,

Almost feel his numbing embrace,

He’s had countless lovers and courted far more,

With his kiss a multitude have been graced.

Entwined together in a Danse Macabre,

I nearly accept the deception,

His words drip softly, but his lips tell lies,

Become aware of my misguided misconceptions.

Our passionate tango begins to unwind,

His embrace is a death grip, heart-stopping,

The room spins around me – deceived, no escape,

Let me go!  To my knees I am falling.

Past lovers do mock me, scoff and deride me,

“Did you believe you were favored or special?”

My paramour delights in my confusion and terror,

My horror brings him laughter and pleasure.

At last the fog clears, break free from his grasp,

Not my lover, but a tempter, a beast,

He distracts me, cajoles me, ensnares me,

But this courtship leads only to grief.

Past partners not cherished nor valued,

Though mesmerized by his slow, sad tune,

Mourn the losses, count the costs, and awaken,

They were betrayed – mere victims of the tomb.

But there’s another, my first love, my true love,

Though scorned, He reaches out His gentle hands,

He offers comfort, solace, and tranquility,

Forgives my failings; He sincerely understands.

His romance is tender and eternal,

Light His burdens and few His demands,

When I allow, He guides and directs me,

And I know that perfect are His plans.

I blow out the candles, but I am not in the dark,

Indeed, in His true radiance I am bathed,

Can still hear the music, but fainter it calls,

Leave the dancefloor – though not completely unscathed.

Death dances, swirls, surrounds me,

He presents his bittersweet ballet,

Haunts me, taunts me, longs to seduce me,

But I take no notice of his sad serenade.