Nightmares and dreams invited me into their fairytale world on a dark night where the wails of the wind and the rustling of the leaves swept away by the impetuous wind kept me awake in the darkness of the night. However much I wanted to flee the dark omens of a destiny that had condemned me to an existence of darkness and nightmares, the truth revealed itself to me in the form of ancient manuscripts where I found symbols unknown to me engraved, but which fascinated me and whose meaning I tried so hard to discover. Nightmares and dreams became my faithful companions, spectres and ghosts of the past, anxieties of the future, heaviness of the present. All seemed to form a court of my faithful followers, of whom I was no longer afraid but a part of. Just as dried flowers crumbled upon the ground, mingling with the dry leaves. As I proceeded, I tried to catch sight of a light that could guide me on my uncertain and unstable path, where anguish served as my guide. It seemed that the night had become infinite and that the day had no longer found its role in that realm of magic and gloominess. Nightmares and dreams seemed to follow me wherever I went, and it did not seem at all a tangible reality in which I was living all these contrasting emotions in a swirling chaos that sucked me into the abyss of obliteration. However much I wanted to extricate myself from that labyrinth that held me prisoner and did not let me leave free, alas, what I could only do was retreat into my imaginary refuge where I had built myself a dwelling inhabited by nightmares and dreams, by illusions and perdition, by strangeness and spectres that instilled in me a strange sense of having lost everything that I had possessed. And so it was that I became eternal in my misery, from which I could not flee, like ivy tendrils entwined around me, which did not let me escape from that realm of hallucinations and trepidations, where my heart had been imprisoned in a crystal casket. All my agitation had been in vain. Fate, so dark and cruel, had decreed, by a decree unknown to me, my eternity made of nightmares and dreams.
Elisabetta Esther
Tag: gothic poem
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Nightmares And Dreams
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A Dreamy Nighttime
A dreamy nighttime resurfaced in my mind as if I were living in that very moment that didn’t last as long as I wished it would. As usual, my flowing dark gown was agitated by the freezing wind while a large white wolf sat next to a black raven perched on the stone pillar with me. From my high stone balcony, I could gaze at a dragon flying in the distant sky, with an embellished archway overlooking a marvellous landscape of a misty valley, dramatic waterfalls, and a sprawling castle complex connected by stone bridges. That was definitely a dreamy nighttime to remember by the light of a warm candlelight, a glowing lantern, and the unperturbed silver light of the moon. My lovely companions could sense all the bitter grief and electrifying fears hidden in my heart no matter how much I claimed that nothing could disturb me. I often asked them about the meaning of existence and the reason why dreams were dissolved by the cynicism and indifference of humankind. Lost in the labyrinth of my thoughts, I let myself be captivated by the enchantment of that realm of beauty and magic, in the hope that I would distract my heart from the anguish that held it entangled in its thorny tendrils. In truth, I was fleeing from myself and from the darkness of the abyss of nightmares that haunted my fitful slumber. Nonetheless, a dreamy nighttime had the power to transform me into a creature of the silent night, inducing me to live a life of starlight and mysticism. In loneliness, I was no longer, absolutely I felt the protection of the fantastic inhabitants of that kingdom of dreamy nighttime. So bright were the luminaries that I felt finally welcomed and included for the very first time in my peculiar reality filled with oddities and delusions. At last, I was allowed to be made of dreams and nightmares, far away from the conventional impediments of humanity. Far away I fled astray, into the endless darkness, where splendid dreams and lugubrious nightmares merged beneath the silver gaze of the moon.
Elisabetta Esther -

The Spell In The Mirror
The spell in the mirror made me step further back into the dark corners of my dilapidated dwelling, where echoes of my heart’s emptiness reverberated. No matter how much I tried to flee my bitter memories, I could find no refuge in that dwelling that should have protected me; instead, I fled into the unknown of the ancient oak forest—a dark place, yet more reassuring than other places that were too bitter for my heart. The night never left my side as I kept wandering aimlessly without a particular intention or destination. I felt the gelid blizzard surrounding me without hesitation, forcing me to find my haven inside a mysterious cave, where a lantern illuminated my surroundings. Extravagant visions kept me from falling into a deep sleep, like bewitching chimaeras. I could not avoid passing through a magical portal unknown to me and crossing the threshold into a wondrous world that filled me with awe and stupor. It was as if a burning desire overwhelmed my senses and heart, and all my wishes had transformed into magnificent flowers, whose exquisite perfume extended throughout that enchanted realm. The sun appeared in the middle of the night as to greet the stars hiding behind gloomy clouds, and the twilight was altered by the constant sunshine, making the realm glimmer like a treasure chest filled with splendid gems. The spell in the mirror had invited me to a world, which belonged only to me and was invisible to humankind. I was surprised by the peculiar beauty of that realm, hidden behind that magic mirror adorned with enchantments. I suddenly perceived that the surroundings were made of luxury furniture, and I gave a curious glance at a dark ornate desk holding a glass perfume bottle, beautiful roses, the ornate mirror and an armillary sphere, which resembled a model of celestial spheres. A black cat was resting on a stack of books by the window, and gazing out at the skyline, it whispered to me some arcane poetry. Meanwhile, I was admiring a large arched window looking out over a gothic city with spires and towers beneath the gaze of a theatrical sunset and a glowing moon. Certainly, I could not resist looking at some antique books where I did find the story of my life together with all the descriptions of my dreams and my trepidations; just like my predefined fate wanted to let me know that there was no possibility of changing the events that would have happened in the future. My very name was engraved on the richly adorned cover of every volume, which resembled a bewitched grimoire. The feline companion approached me as if I were a dear friend from a past life. An absolute silence descended all over the gloomy gothic chamber and I felt more than ever that I had become just one of the several evanescent chimaeras visiting my own dreams. The spell in the mirror was but a chaotic enigma in the infinite abyss of darkness and dreams.
Elisabetta Esther -

The Magic Foggy Night
The magic foggy night became my night of dreams and fantastical visions. A bright, cloudy full moon stirred delightful emotions in my heart, cherishing a marvellous melancholy and sordid dismay. My attention was astonished by the sight of a stack of weathered antique books illuminated by a flamboyant candle beside a shining brass armillary sphere. The magic foggy night didn’t reveal its secrets, so I tried to talk to an esoteric book with celestial motifs, asking questions about that mysterious wisdom I was not supposed to know. As I proceeded in my questionable quest, I caught sight of a glowing glass lantern, while a solitary black raven perched on the weathered stone balcony railing amid climbing ivy. In solitude, I was resolute enough to disclose every aspect of my bizarre fate, which never failed to surprise me. As long as the magic foggy night made my imagination more unpredictable and hectic, it caused me to lose my ability to be comforted by my slumbering rest. Many doubts crossed my mind uncomfortably as I gasped uneasily whenever I realised that all I was glimpsing was a pristine daydream. It seemed that beauty was an ephemeral manifestation of my evanescent dreams. For too long I let my expectations fall into the abyss of decay, and in vain I waited for an impetuous storm to invite me into another realm. Nevertheless, the blemishes in my heart became engraved truths, which were too harsh to endure as I became more aware of the desolation of my existence. The magic foggy night had made me acquainted with nocturnal creatures and forbidden knowledge at the sight of splendour and magnificence. Alas, so abruptly time had passed, and oblivion claimed all those treasures, which hitherto had been my cherished belongings. Therefore, my flamboyant candle with the shining brass armillary sphere and weathered antique occult books together with the glowing glass lantern faded away into the void of the gloomy night. The solitary black raven flew high up into the sky until it lay beside the glistering stars. All that remained to be seen was the withered ivy and some relics of my whispers of despair. The magic foggy night had been just an illusion; a dream that didn’t accompany me for as long as I wished. The night’s deception was but an evanescence, vanishing into the darkness and leaving behind nothing but the bitter remembrance of a resplendence that had never truly been mine.
Elisabetta Esther -

In The Realm Of Disintegrated Dreams
In the realm of disintegrated dreams, the night was endless and the darkness ruled over every invisible creature. Several peals of thunder manifested their frenzy in a dance of light and shadow, while I waited for my dreams to become true in the most foolish manner, as if time didn’t belong to me anymore. Therefore, I didn’t realise that my fantasies weren’t within reach, but just echoes in the tumultuous wind like illusory soap bubbles. I had waited for nothing to change because torpor and doldrums were woven into the fabric of my fragile destiny. And so the sun revealed its radiant complexion trying to contrast the tenebrous shine of the moon, which was accompanied by a gathering of glistening stars. Withered roses blossomed in the garden of obliteration alluring the night with their scent of decay and unpredictability. While I searched for bat flowers blooming beneath the silver moonlight, the night granted me obliviousness, and the ravines offered me refuge. No earthborn heart would have been so gracious and compassionate as to provide an award or a reward. Every attempt of mine was left behind a frozen portal, and loneliness put a gloomy castle together exclusively for me to dwell in. Even the most impetuous tempests had more regard for me than humankind, whose only aim was to scatter brambles and thorns wherever I went along my arduous path. In the realm of disintegrated dreams, I found my only consolation in the untamed storms, hollow trees and fantastic creatures of the forest. Nothing else really mattered any longer besides my peculiar world of curiosities. Exhausted as I was, I fell into a deep slumber embraced by nightmares and mysterious incubuses. Stardust burst forth from my shattered dreams, igniting the cosmos with its fiery remnants. The realm of disintegrated dreams had dissolved into the infinite abyss of the universe.
Elisabetta Esther -

Emptiness And Oblivion
Emptiness and oblivion claimed me as if I had lost all my discernment while wandering in the cold night aimlessly. So little was I acquainted with the mysteries of the night, and the more I proceeded, the more I became bewildered, to the point that there was no wisdom in the precious crystals I had found along my route. Every instant I strove to preserve my fragile dreams that the biting and harsh wind longed to take away from me. My attempt to gather the flowers from my secret garden was in vain since that night when my will started to be bent by the spirits of the darkness. Emptiness and oblivion unexpectedly usurped my realm of arcane enigmas and phantasmagorias. Eerie lullabies attempted to enchant me with their cryptic call but no spell could be cast upon me for I was invulnerable to enchantments. No commitments or vows could tarnish my desire for endless emptiness and oblivion. The mirrors in my abode reflected different images of myself each time I stared at them, as if they scrutinised my soul carefully, like mind readers. Underneath antique frocks, a vintage pocket clock sprang like a living creature of the immortal night showing me an hour that was evermore. Small bronze keys peeked out amidst the chaotic jumble of my enchanted manor. Nothing could be the same anymore. All my attempts to use the bronze keys were fruitless, given that I wasn’t able to discover any lock suitable for their size, but in the end, I didn’t care. All of a sudden everything vanished and I was surrounded by emptiness and oblivion, which had obliterated every treasure and possession of mine. Devastation had accomplished its mission properly and darkness suppressed all the light irradiated by the glimmering stars, which were totally concealed by gloomy clouds. I could no longer make out my former path, and in place of my elegant mansion lay heaps of rubble and fragments of my belongings. The supremacy of emptiness and oblivion was unassailable, in fact, they were my cold-hearted rulers. Nothing could have been altered. Even the stars had lost their authority in the firmament, which had now transmuted into the empire of void.
Elisabetta Esther -

Lost In The Midst Of Nowhere
Lost in the midst of nowhere with a daze in my heart, I lay upon the decrepit fragments of my memories, overwhelmed by the dismal grief that shrouded my sleepless nights. I tried to continue on my way, but I had no direction, and my wounds made me very fragile. The midnight wind enveloped me, forcing me to seek shelter in a hovel haunted by ghosts of the distant past. I imagined being plunged into perpetual oblivion that kept me from telling what was real and what my imagination created.
Meanwhile, I could hear all my previous apprehensions crumble like frail crystals shattered in the middle of the gelid night. Nothing mattered anymore since the day I buried all my hopes permanently and sealed my most coveted dreams in a precious box that vanished into the ocean. The only thing I could discern was the echoes of my fears’ screams. All my treasures faded away in the darkness of my nightmares after the most impetuous tempests struck my ephemeral haven made of seashells and sand.
Dreadful remembrances altered into feral ghouls, which haunted my disquieted slumber perpetually, leaving my heart a desolate garden of withered flowers. In silence, I left that state of obliteration of all my delights without any merriment but only a burning grief. An obscure rain started falling all over me and gloomy clouds surrounded me almost to support me in my exhausting attempt to flee my obstinate fate. No tears could have been enough to express my dismay now that even I had become a creature of that realm of sorrow.
Sublime was the sight of the night sky before I could gaze at my descent, and after I got lost in the middle of nowhere repeatedly, I abandoned my aim to capture dreams eternally and evermore.
Elisabetta Esther -

Beneath The Darkness
Beneath the darkness, I built my imaginary castle, hovering like a phantom over me, filled with bitter memories and wicked resentment. The night appeared to me like an immense creature, ready to swallow all my blissful hopes, leaving me only with its heartbreaking gifts as a substitute for my dreams. Melancholic longings wound around me like ivy tendrils, always letting me perceive the liberty that I lost long ago. A sudden thunder would have made me shudder, but it wasn’t the case, since I had lost every spark of fear in that realm of darkness and nightmares. The stars were staring at me like curious creatures ready to judge every single emotion of mine.
The solitude tried to comfort me in vain, for I were not accustomed to those gloomy clouds on the horizon, ready to rapture my hopes of deliverance. My beloved raven handed me the chalice of oblivion, nevertheless, I embraced my desire to decrypt ancient manuscripts, whose dust adorned them with peculiar hues. The night attired me with an obsidian cloak embellished with gold and stardust. I could see the moonlight sink deep into the fierce, tumultuous river, reflecting my thoughts like a mirror of truth. Could I make acquaintance with my fears and anguishes swarming around me like haunting ghosts? I knew not what could possibly be in my unpredictable fate’s designs.
Beneath the darkness, shadows emerged like quirky spectres willing to catch every glimpse of my heart, which kept its everlasting flame alive, even though it was destined to fade away. Unaware of my destiny, I proceeded uncautiously in my gloomy descent filled with dark shadows and unbearable secrets. Silently and slowly, the night revealed me to endure my painful dismay like an ethereal flower floating in the aether. Meanwhile, the moon greeted me behind a thick blanket of dark clouds, and I lost all my hesitation to allow entrance to the most devoted nightmares of my lonely nights in the abyss of oblivion and darkness.
Elisabetta Esther -

The Restlessness Of The Night
The restlessness of the night never left my quiet chamber adorned with ancient mirrors and candles extinguished by the freezing wind of the darkness.
The silence helped my nightmares discourage my heart from holding dear its long-coveted desires.
Henceforth, I tried not to panic when I realised that I couldn’t find any image of myself in the mirrors of my antique manor.
Not even a portrait was there and each time I tried to perceive my countenance, all I could discover was a box full of sand and decay.
The hours sang an elegy for the passing of the night that was infinite and determined to rule hegemony in the realm of my bizarre fantasies and odd revelations.
Magic dreams were only faraway illusions that had been bestowed to me once again only to be left in the abyss of despair with nothing but my vest full of sand and decay.The restlessness of the night offered me the goblet of eternal torment, alluring me with fairy tales and foolish legends.
I wished to become an invisible creature of the gloomy night, however, I could do nothing but observe my name inscribed on every wall and book that I had encountered.
No importance was given to my will since the day I was born beneath the hollow trees of dismay.
The stars manifested their disregard for me, leaving me in my senseless loneliness, at the mercy of the raging storms that would have swept me away.
In vain, I claimed my liberty from that misfortune, but they came to claim me and all that once was mine, the ghouls from the archaic world of my past misadventures.
Perhaps I could have forgotten the sensations of delight and gentle euphoria.
The restlessness of the night had become the portal to my agony and everlasting grief, which never abandoned my aching heart.
Elisabetta Esther -

Where Shadows Bloom
Where shadows bloom and feast I plunge into the pond of sorrow with my eyes full of tears and my heart emptied by the storm of oblivion.
The impetuous wind that had welcomed me earlier became a gentle breeze, stroking the night flowers and leaving a trail of night scent.
In vain, I attempted to reach the stars, but the only thing that remained in my hands was a rag from one of my dresses as a memento of what I was but not anymore.
The night has passed as quickly as the flow of a raging river that sweeps away its banks. My heart couldn’t hear its own heartbeat as if it were in a chest in the deepest abyss of the ocean.
Where shadows bloom and celebrate my defeat like in an endless chess game, I obeyed my fatal fortune, which purposely forgot to grant me even the tiniest wish.
The cage of my memories reappeared, holding my desires as captives in its golden entanglement, sparkling bright beneath the full moon, whose light lit the night like blazing butterflies.
The glimmering butterflies enflamed each flower of the enchanted forest, which glowed like a treasure chest filled with precious gems.
All of a sudden, I shirked the anguishes that had haunted my heart like ubiquitous phantoms, and I lost all my caution, embracing the unknown darkness.
As I wandered farther into the darkness, I could hear the tumultuous waters of the river, which carried away the last fragments of my forsaken sorrow.
The blooming shadows had become my loyal guides in my trembling fate, no longer my fears. Secretly sealed portals were locking the relics of my lost dreams.
The gloomy clouds kept me from glancing at the stars, hiding them beneath their celestial veil.
At last, I remained in my lonely quietude, not waiting for anything to happen, not even the next sunrise.
Elisabetta Esther