Castle Contract

Come, lean against me, my love

Your head against my shoulder,

I bend my neck and breathe in your curls.

I cannot hold you;

My wrists and ankles shackled to these castle walls.

Contract castle, Castle Contract

Come, let me look at your face,

Beauteous face,

It eases my pain, my torment, for a moment.

The shackles have worn callouses,

My skin, trying to protect me.

I am still so very broken.

For the castle walls have dragged through my skin,

My open wounds weep.

The infection, the pus, the maggots.

Ah, the bitter irony,

The maggots, writhing in me, biting me, excruciating

Will one day fly away, yet I am here still.

A long time ago,

Once there was hope,

Castle contract, Contract Castle …

… it will end soon. Do not weep my love, for

Death will be my sweet release, and I welcome it.

As the contract decrees:

“ ‘Til death do us part.”