your red guitar hangs motionless and mute

like her body when they found her

tied around the neck by a chequered scarf

the walls girdle your cellared mind

like her arms once did your bones

in exuberant pain

the chemicals run wild in your veins no more

the electric flame burns no more sleepless nights 

they died with her as well, your morning star

forbidden dreams chase you no more

hungry laughter haunts no corridor

it’s only stale smoke that lingers

once your kingdom bloomed in rosy hues

when the courtiers bowed down in reverence  

to the queen of the dance floor and king of the road

aces high and all cards on the table

you took your aim at victory’s crown of thorns

when jack the knave laced your poisoned spear

now her ice-white skin reminds you of the ghost

you saw that night and failed to kill

when you drove the knife-edge three inch deep

through her love that would never have survived

who would have thought those full-blown lips

would have so little blood inside

so you emptied out your jangling fears

pushed her to the brink of insane rage

till her flame grew cold as stone  

where her dreams used to lie green and gold

is now occupied by your corpsed soul

devoured by the worms in your brain.