being benign

everyone's looking for something from you—
a pound of your flesh for a piece of your soul
it's not any wonder faith knows so few
for we're all so gaunt from some forgot toll

wishing & waiting for days that don't come—
all this while defying some setting in numb

strangers seem like they said: strange faces
like wraiths who see past this virtue & vice

you're delaying, not halting fate's embraces
already, she's seen in you & taken her price

it's futile; this war is long lost
you paid with your blood to cover the cost

you walk all along these straight lines
though being means you're being benign
& you know we couldn't be nearly fine