He lied on the lush grass
Contemplating about his life
When he heard a melancholy song
That drew him in and like a fluid flowed in his mind

The words of the song reminded him of a past
That was now dead and forgotten
Hidden in a forbidden land
That no one sane dared to trespass

The plaintive song struck his heart strings hard
A lump formed in his throat
Making him cough hard
The tune started to sting ripping his ears
He felt as if blood was spurting out from within
Dysphoria wrapped around him like a venomous shroud
While he jerked in hysteric directions
Like a madman he shouted
Lord! Save me! Save me!

As the song came to a halt
He tried to regain his calm
Tears burned at the back of his eyes
Through excruciating pain
He remembered the words of the Psalm
“Even though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death
I fear no evil, for you, are with me”
As he strengthened his resolve
Shoving away his dreaded past
And continued his lone journey
On an unknown, less traveled path

When the past calls
It makes him stumble and fall
Subtly poisoning his conscience
Inch by inch breaking his resilience
Making him dead and hollow
Through every passing mile