Catch and Release©

The scariest place to be sometimes
Is inside your own head
It's hard to escape the memories there
Harder still to pretend
That you can close the door again

I've been trapped beneath the bell jar before
Unable to get myself out
Plath said "How frail the human heart must be -
a mirrored pool of thought."
It waits behind the door [that remains] unlocked

Tried hypnotics and therapy again
Neither of these have worked
Tried writing down all these terrible things
Then set aflame the damn book
So behind the door, you couldn't look

If you'd like to step inside sometime
The keys are in my pocket
There's no guarantee you'll get out again
I will trap you in and lock it
You'll see me and beg me to stop it

Trapped:
Inside, you strive, offering sacrafice
Only ghosts hearing your plea
Balled up child, you are, on the floor
Hoping one day to be set free
Looking at you, I see me

Lying flat while they take your spirit away
Screaming beneath fleshy covers
Baring lives you will never get to see
Crying while you release them to others
Saving them from knowing their true fathers

Finally rising to your feet once more
Pressing your hands to your ears
Feel the words push you to your knees
Within you self-doubt appears
In 36 minutes you hear 36 years

Silence embraces you as you stand again
And a grunt escapes without choice
All this time you've been trapped inside
You'd forgotten that you had a voice
At last, you're making some noise

You feel your strength growing stronger
Pushing away ghosts of the past
You sculpt yourself, shedding away layers
Stripping yourself to the last
Until, from yourself, light is cast

Released:
The scariest place to be sometimes
Is inside another's head
Especially when the lights go out
You'll see the memories they dread
And know why they closed the door again