The Voices come to me at last:
and I’m shaken to the core
and shocked, overwhelmed,
now I don’t know what’s in store.

Benevolent or otherwise, who’s
to say? A Voice screaming at me
- far from benevolent – telling
me to “Do it! Do it” don’t you see?

They told me to acknowledge and
negotiate – keep the Voice at bay;
now I’m in such a state,
what am I to say?

I shall keep calm and talk, but
not show the shock and the fright;
these are very good tactics
I’ll take the Voice on and fight

to show who’s in control,
to show I am not beat;
now I am famished and shaking
- I don’t pretend as I seat

myself down on my bed and
let the Voice ramble away;
I’m in control of my life:
it will not lead me astray.

and so I answer back for now
“Do it! Do it” it shouts,
as I am getting even more scared
- my mind is full of the louts

who abused me in those far-off
days, now my mouth is so dry;
I think of the future, not the past
and now I am starting to cry.

I sob for a while and then I stop
while I control my emotions;
the Voice is still shouting away
as I attend to my devotions.

Eventually the Voice goes away
as I get up and I kneel down and pray
that the gods will keep me in peace
and be sanguine for the rest of the day.

Voices are frightening and scary
if we don’t know what they are;
but now my Voice has departed
forever, I hope, and far.