At the Table of the Styx - Will Stratton

Are you the sun, or are you the moon?

Shall I speak or is it too soon?

When you take all the blankets when we sleep

Am I the watchman at our keep,

Or does anything matter to you?

When you’re down in sleep’s dark bliss

Do I play you with a kiss

Or does it all fall on deaf skin

When I’m awake and you’re all in

At the table of the Styx?

Do I place a coin in your mouth

As you murmur, drifting south

Like Ophelia at the end

Or Elaine all wrapped in linen

Or do I lie and try to rest

With an arm under your neck

What good is stillness when you’re gone?

At least I can hum a song

Why would I ever lie

Would it be just to find myself beside you

A dream half-dead?

How could I ever live

With the blood of a half-formed bird upon me,

Draped on my head?

How could I?

The light, it asks to peer through

So we’ve survived another day

How could I nigh deceive you?

When I’m just a broken knave?

How could I?