nepenthe

nile

drink the milk of ceres

dread elixir

crude nauseous

willful poison

healing wounds unhealed

purge

vomit

convulse

collapse

i gain the knowledge

separate mind from body

i break open the skull

papaver somniferum

amrosia of the ancients

morpheus

god of dreams grants me

entrance to the den of the wicked

anarchy of dreaming sleep summons

long dead harlots

i kiss the queen of hell

cleansed from the dishonors of the grave

potent destroyer of grief

abyss of divine enslavement

thou hast the key to paradise

nepenthe

every night i descend into chasms

and sunless abysses

depths below depths

from which i am hopeless to reascend