Dancing with the Devil By Dianne Foote

Editors Note

In “Dancing With the Devil,” Dianne Foote confronts the darkest edges of survival with unflinching honesty. This poem doesn’t look away from suicidal ideation or the weight of living when life feels like loss. Instead, it walks directly into that shadow and finds language for what many feel but few say aloud. Written in 2014, it remains a raw testament to the ongoing dance between despair and the stubborn, quiet will to keep breathing.

Darkness swallowed me
The ache of emotionless love
Was extinguishing my life force
As I forced myself to keep breathing.
Living wasn’t important anymore
I was at death’s door.
With no desire to turn away,
No desire for another day.
It seemed the fight would now begin,
My soul for ??????
An eternity of bliss?
One more night?
A hug?
A kiss?
Only One could save me now
From what was really going down
I was already at the bottom
And Drake couldn’t help me.
Little did I know
My journey was just beginning.
Cause Death and I would dance again and again.
No need to run,
Nowhere to hide.
Death was a shadow by my side.
I was tumultuous with
My thoughts and actions
Each one bringing me closer
Then the last one.
The damn gun didn’t work,
The pills just made me sick,
And I’ll be damn if that knife wouldn’t
Cut more than a slit.
We continue to dance
Death and I.
My sanity at bay;
But I am here writing –
So, I’ve lived another day.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dianne Foote is a published writer and the author of Mixed Ponderings. Her poetry explores many topics and has been the focus of her creative musings. She is currently based in Decatur, GA, where she continues to develop new literary projects.