chèr D.,
Amen to that.
I’ll be back tomorrow to read it again.

Kind regards, Gus

Your wallop of a write had me nodding in agreement. So many truths are nestled in every line. Love will indeed live forever! Outstanding write, my friend.

Clay

Well said. No body is promised tomorrow.

That last stanza sends this one home. Wonderful piece Damian.

Dear D,

Inspirational to be sure. This write was a movie short where I could envision the hero if the piece roaming from one stanza to the next recognizing the differentiation of God and truth vs ai and evil. Great write. H🌷

” Shadows on the wall are growing

Coming to poison what God built ”

Those words were written with a hammer and chisel.

Dope overall vibe
Diggin the positive outro, brother…

Much respect

Naaj

Sigh…where to start? I agree with Naaj up there. 👆 Those lines are definitely carved in granite. There’s a loss of humanity occurring on so many levels today. AI is replacing human labor, taking human paychecks and means of living. But AI does what man tells it. It’s not out there knocking on doors and handing out resumes. It’s the greed of man dehumanizing their fellows that’s doing the damage. The fact that we have a deranged overstuffed cheese puff feeding frenzy to his blind acolytes speaks volumes for the state of man’s moral compass right now. Every decision they’re making is destructive…to the earth (our host) and to its guests (us and wildlife). Yeah, I got rolling but this one took me to so many places. Keep carving those lines, my friend, and I’m sure I’ll keep ranting

Powerfully penned, 253. This write strikes a chord in me almost like I’ve met a similar monster. Excellent work my friend. Appreciate you.

Damian

This monster is unyielding and will not allow you to breathe. This part of the stanza is menacing and seems to want to feed off the fear. I sense it is afraid of the healing because if you do, then there is no need for the monster.

“I’m the only voice that’s been consistent
I’m the only one who’s stayed
and I’ll keep stayin
long after everyone else gets tired
of holdin you together”

The voice we hear loudest is always the monster in our head. And he’s an asshat. My first thought reading this was a protest…absolutely nothing about your writing is half-assed. It’s brutal and honest and that’s a helluva lot more than some can say. You are seen. Your monster is seen. Tell him that Truth sometime. When I say I’ve had these conversations myself, I’m not joking. Brutal, I tell ya

Fantastic, Damian.

This is a dark piece, but it is really good. Thank you for sharing it.

Excellent piece.

Well look at you being all dark after Christmas:)
Each section had its own dark point of view.
I really enjoyed the stanza about evil hiding in the mundane
It reminds me of the saying in the Bible. Idle hands are the devils workshop.

Great piece amigo!

hello dearest Damian very darkly powerful ❤️

Fantastic piece of dark poetry my friend. Wonderfully executed.

Heavy hitting vibe, bro This moves the mind down some chambers

Much respect

Naaj

A bittersweet piece, so beautiful and sad! I am glad that you reassured us that you are doing well , dear Damian!

This reads like a slow descent through psychological aftermath—the kind that doesn’t announce itself loudly but corrodes over time. The imagery stays grounded while the emotion escalates, especially the idea of evil hiding in the mundane. Quiet, heavy, and effective.

I can see why others see this is dark, but I read it more as a reflective piece on darker moments. Like sitting under moonlight and remembering full darkness of troubled days…having just enjoyed the warmth of a fire and full spirit. There are definitely elements that lean into darker aspects, but if we’re not peering into those corners, are we really paying attention, or are we just living in denial? To be all sunshine and daisies in the current environment is pure folly. I don’t see dark, I see the shadows that follow us wherever we go. The hope that we still find light. Follow that muse where it takes you, my friend. It never leads you astray

this is extraordinarily noir if you don’t mind me saying .. just saying .. Neville

Powerfully penned, 253 & Fia. Excellent collaboration you two. Appreciate you, both.

Damian

Thank you for collaborating with this. It’s always fun seeing how a piece will turn out :))

This reads like a Christmas tree sacrifice.
Almost pegan-ish.
Cleverly orchestrated by the both of you:)

Great collaboration guys!