Poetry: Ancient Distress (or A Distempered Spirit)

Ancient distress, ancient distress,

Re-awaken my weariness;

Bring up that heavy, throbbing pain,

That pressure built upon my brain.

 

Forget the smiles; laughter fades;

The misery of woe pervades.

Subdue me to the point of tears,

The bitterness of all the years,

 

And fear of happiness emerges true,

For fear of disappointment too;

And, lest the angst of shock sets in,

Prefer to wallow than joy should rise to dim.

 

Ancient distress, ancient distress

Re-awaken my weariness;

The brightness of my temper turns to rain;

The thunder beats upon the brow again.

 

 

 

(C) Liam Elvish, 2010