i’m almost back
but i’m not entirely there yet
i need to keep my shields up
i can’t afford to forget

how far down the void goes
too dark for me to see
the demons that lie in wait
ready to devour me

and everything i believe in
all love and light all gone
leaving only a shell of what used to be
a soul undone and outrun

so the shields will remain up
until i’m ready to fight again
for my art, my passion, my heart
none of the hard lessons forgotten