He used to love a screaming Harlot
Long nights, bottles, fights
Used to see in scarlet
Feeling the pull of a vampire glare
thieving fingers, a fugitive's dare
Every hushed word, a lullaby flight
Going straight for his throat, ripping
Dragging off his heart for a night

He would sing, soldier cadence
Left Right Left crooning
Self imposed sentence, decadence 
    In repentance
    Repeating acceptance

Some girls would dance to the beat of his drum
Some girls twirled heart strings like piano wire to strum
Others pulled twine to strangling garrote
Just tramps stamping out their rap
    beat on a heart attack
    Dancing in the dark

Though he had his angels
Wings spread defensively
From victory to sin, shining beneath willows
Rain pattering an empty throne, set for a Queen
Deep in the shadows of June, february, and beyond
Standing short with a balled fist, smoldering eyes on fire
Light caresses dancing under strobes, and the most elegant 
Of a kiss, if not the most brief

A lifetime ago, hollow boots off concrete 
    in screeching falsetto
Memory sounds, like  'i love you's
Forever trapped in an echo

But he may think..
Its time to pick up the march
Its time to come out of retirement
    the words are known
The pitch, the movement
He remembers hell

And remembers the hands, guiding
Gliding, fighting
To keep his head above water
Digging deeper
as he slid farther, and farther


His angels always loved to dance in the dark