Forty Days of Night (Deeper Underground Suite)

Featured art by Maren Klemp

Listen to Forty Days of Night by Richard Charles Stevens (Deeper Underground Suite)

Listen to Deeper Underground by Jamiroquai

have you ever known a rose that chose to dress no thorn
only when exposed can trepid bones hope to disclose such blessèd warmth
.
calling all occupants of planet earth to scatter seed
and have a word with every nagging burden courting travesty
.
calling all occupants of planet earth to scatter seed
and have a word with every nagging burden courting travesty
.
beneath the veil
the inkwell bled
the word farewell to parchment sped
red wine of disclosure spilled
to all of those who wished him ill
the mystic quill within his palm
had been accused of wishing harm
his heart had sunken at the news
the drunken lies of lips that mused
of ways to prove dishonesty
and other crude atrocities
beneath the veil
the inkwell bled
eschewed of tenebrosity
his life seemed way too short for animosity
besides to seek divorce from deep remorse
relieved his thoughts wherein he sought
to glean the source of purest prophecy
.
calling all occupants of planet earth to scatter seed
and have a word with every nagging burden courting travesty
travesty
travesty
.
calling all occupants of planet earth to scatter seed
and have a word with every nagging burden courting travesty
.
the blackest night
had long since passed
since vessel sailed at halfway mast
to distant tides through waters calmed
in honour of the fallen
thus while the skies were overcast
his measured breath contested last
at death’s request
the inkwell bled
still life became his calling
ill-timed demise
nowise the prize
hereby assigned
the sight to write
to fight for light
find shade to braid
revitalise
the beta waves
to die for art
with wild and brave
to bleed true heart
beneath the veil
to lift his reddened palms and say
i wish to see no harm prevail
.
calling all occupants of planet earth to scatter seed
and have a word with every nagging burden courting travesty
.
calling all occupants of planet earth to scatter seed
and have a word with every nagging burden courting travesty
travesty
travesty
.
to live and breathe deliberately
inkwell bled felicitously
wishing only to negate to hate
relate to open space
appropriate to tone and shade
of love felt unconditionally
love felt unconditionally
love felt unconditionally
.
to die for art
with wild and brave
would shine a light
through rising waves
enticing rays of hope afloat
with eyes ablaze the poet wrote
admiring gaze
unbroken flow
devising ways for broken bones to go for broke abiding pain
remain the night and heal
.
(this)
(this)
this hiding place a space to thrive
reminding braves to take a dive
in blindest faith a dying race can find a way to feel
the mystic quill within his palm
the word farewell crossed out
the scribe then wept the treasured tears
sincerely blessed devout
.
the blackest night
had long since passed
since vessel sailed at halfway mast
to distant tides through waters calmed
in honour of the fallen
thus while the skies were overcast
his measured breath contested last
at death’s request
the inkwell bled
still life became his calling
his calling
(his)
his calling
.
beneath the veil
the inkwell bled
a pile of leaves to rest his head
felt home without a shadow of a doubt
this brought about the end of forty days and nights of drought
.
calling all occupants of planet earth to scatter seed
and have a word with every nagging burden courting travesty
travesty
.
calling all occupants of planet earth to scatter seed
and have a word with every nagging burden courting travesty
.