A SONG OF MADNESS
[I sing it to a haunting Celtic melody of my own composing] 
I must have lost my mind last night
Somewhere amidst the dreams
They are so vile, the madness rules
Heeding ne'er my screams
I swear I lost my mind last night
My anger is a joke
Can't find my senses anywhere
Though I could swear I spoke
It's strange, so strange, so passing strange
I'm lost as lost can be
The madness takes me over now
And I cannot be free
I've been so long without the sleep
That heals one every night
I long for rest I cannot get
And darkness turns to white
I need the darkness, need the black
I've covered windows all
But still the brightness peeks inside
And bathes me in its pall
It's strange, so strange, so passing strange
I'm lost as lost can be
The madness takes me over now
And I cannot be free
The world is turning inside out
I cannot bear the sound
Without the light I could not see
And nothing could be found
It's nothingness I need right now
No sound, no sights, no feels
For each small thing holds searing pain
My heart within me reels
It's strange, so strange, so passing strange
I'm lost as lost can be
The madness takes me over now
And I cannot be free
The light, it tries to burn my eyes
To get inside and sting
I just want blackness, soothing black
More than anything
I need the sights and sounds to end
I need sweet quiet now
A blanket thick and dark and deep
Would blot it out somehow
It's strange, so strange, so passing strange
I'm lost as lost can be
The madness takes me over now
And I cannot be free
A sorry sight I must present
But no one's here to see
I run and run within my dreams
But madness follows me
I stay alone, I weep and wail
Thank God no one can hear
I've paid for this, my private place
With all my love so dear
It's strange, so strange, so passing strange
I'm lost as lost can be
The madness takes me over now
And I cannot be free
I've tried to run away before
It does no good, you know
The darkest night at last runs out
Gives way to the sunrise glow
I do not wish to see it rise
I pray it rains all day
And then the night will come again
And nothing's left to say
It's strange, so strange, so passing strange
I'm lost as lost can be
The madness takes me over now
And I cannot be free
The horrors seem to never end
They swirl around me hard
The light is hateful, stark and cold
In every shining shard
I know I lost my mind last night
No one can bring it back
It has nowhere to sweetly rest
I wish for only black
It's strange, so strange, so passing strange
I'm lost as lost can be
The madness takes me over now
And I cannot be free
Why can't I just be left alone?
Why can't I lie at rest?
The madness makes me kick and moan
Is this some kind of test?
I've failed, I've fallen, I want to stay
Where nothing touches me
For every contact burns like fire
Upon the shining sea
It's strange, so strange, so passing strange
I'm lost as lost can be
The madness takes me over now
And I cannot be free
Just let me be, don't pull me back
From death's sweet comfort deep
Where I can feel no searing thing
And only silence keep
You laugh at my insanity
How weak to be so sad
Beyond the pale of gladness now
My eyes don't blink, they stare
It's strange, so strange, so passing strange
I'm lost as lost can be
The madness takes me over now
And I cannot be free
It's strange, so strange, so passing strange
I'm lost as lost can be
The madness takes me over now
And I cannot be free
(©September 18, 2001 Vicki Spencer
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