Entrench

Poor baby boy, is that a negative spell? Honing in like a loaded black cloud Set to burst, set to burst Hang in there for just one minute while I trivialize Your emotions, your motivations Your hopes and your dreams A lesson to learn, as long as there's pain As long as there's fear A lesson to learn, you cannot feel ire You cannot shed tears Of every instance of indignation you've ever felt As long as you are male, you deserve this unfulfillment Your pigmentation disallows your choler You're smarter than this and human psych is more complex Than you prefer to credit But I won't argue I'm not seventeen anymore A lesson to learn, as long as there's pain As long as there's fear you should feel ashamed A lesson to learn, you cannot feel ire You cannot shed tears I'd like to thank you for the speech that you've delivered From your condescending high horse Like you're the only one that's lived, traveled Experienced destitution from an elevated Maslowian bubble A lesson to learn, as long as there's pain As long as there's fear you should feel ashamed A lesson to learn, you cannot feel ire You cannot shed tears A lesson to learn, as long as there's pain As long as there's fear you should feel ashamed A lesson to learn, you cannot feel ire You cannot shed tears

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 23, 2026

Help me limp through the hour Where the last remnants of my sanity are plagued By the burden of consequence Encourage focus from chaotic despair Focused indifference, focused repudiation Frustration, not chaos, reigns I am the weapon to usher in your destruction I am control, I am command This is for the survival of the fittest Well, this is for the survival of the fittest Repercussions be damned A suspension bridge made of ash Let's break the situation down Like an old world primate Driving the point home much more Much more fucking poignantly This simply will not fucking stand My brain turns to a dry porous sponge As this broken record skips Reminders of just how loathsome you've become It's the same thing, it's the same thing, it's the same thing No, I'm in control No, I'm in control No, I'm in control No, I'm in control No, I'm in control No, I'm in control No, I'm in control No, I'm in control Help me limp through the hour Where the last remnants of my sanity are plagued By the burden of consequence Encourage focus from chaotic despair

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 23, 2026

I fail to see, I fail to see I fail to see the humor in having a pulse I fail to see, I fail to see I fail to see the humor in having a pulse Your insipid hopes and dreams Will only serve as a further catalyst Your insipid homes and dreams Will only serve as a further catalyst To an ageless resurgence And reminding me ad nauseam To an ageless resurgence And reminding me ad nauseam Drives it home stronger than ever I refuse to be sorry for denying a spoon-fed destiny That simply cannot fucking fit I fail to see, I fail to see I fail to see the humor in having a pulse I fail to see, I fail to see I fail to see the humor in having a pulse To an ageless resurgence And reminding me ad nauseum To an ageless resurgence And reminding me ad nauseum Try to point out something that you could hope to believe I hope you enjoy slaving away For someone else's dreams Just so your wife could have Just so your wife could have a bigger fucking house Just so your wife could have a bigger fucking house If this is your fairy tale Then your heartwarming story makes me sick Your heartwarming story makes me sick Your heartwarming story makes me sick Your heartwarming story makes me sick Your heartwarming story makes me sick

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 23, 2026

I'm not blaming her Logic keeps me bound Keeps the pieces in check And every beginning Has its orchestrated conclusion This is a lack Of everything that was claimed to have stood for This is a lack Of everything that was claimed to have stood for A lack, skittering and unapologetic Within the eye of the storm Taking refuge in small comforts, easy answers Playing Judas and shirking accountability A serious lack that was wrong, it wasn't okay It wasn't okay No, no, I'm not okay No, no, I'm not okay This is goodbye to the man you once knew This is goodbye to the man you once knew This is goodbye to the man you once knew This is goodbye to the man you once knew Or did not? It doesn't matter anymore Or did not? It doesn't matter anymore Or did not? It doesn't matter anymore Or did not? It doesn't matter anymore It doesn't matter anymore It doesn't matter anymore It doesn't matter anymore This is goodbye to the man you once knew This is goodbye to the man you once knew This is goodbye to the man you once knew This is goodbye to the man you once knew This is goodbye (This is goodbye) To the man you once knew This is goodbye (This is goodbye) To the man you once knew

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 23, 2026

I thought I'd learn, but I'm an idealist I thought I'd wait, but I deserve it How about we go out of our way to complicate the process? There's a certain thrill to this strategy No matter how idiotic it may seem No matter how idiotic it may seem I thought I'd learn, but I'm an idealist I thought I'd wait, but I deserve it How about we go out of our way to complicate the process? There's a certain thrill to this strategy No matter how idiotic it may seem No matter how idiotic it may seem This close to dawn I'll relinquish to a single word Give me a sign that I'm not simply being absurd Let's blur the lines Let's blur the lines Until the flames drown in the wax And there's nothing left to give There's nothing left to give, take I want it all This close to dawn I'll relinquish to a single word Give me a sign that I'm not simply being absurd I want it all I want it all I've stumbled through years on broken time to reach such conclusions I refuse to live like I'm alone given this framework These are the promises of God These are the promises of God I've stumbled through years on broken time to reach such conclusions I refuse to live like I'm alone given this framework

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 23, 2026

The odds are not in our favour There's little hope left What optimism existed has been strangled to the very last breath Shuddering on strangers' floors at 5 AM But this won't end But this won't end But this won't end But this won't end Focus, a shattered mess near the litter box That this apartment's aroma resembles far too clearly Allies become foes in the blink of an eye Allies become foes in the blink of an eye Augment me, cut out the poison Detach from chaos, pacify desire Quell instinct, but don't quit But this won't end But this won't end But this won't end But this won't end Too many hours logged, too many miles conquered Too many grey hairs Too much love to let go Too much love to let go But this won't end But this won't end But this won't end But this won't end But this won't end But this won't end But this won't end But this won't end But this won't end But this won't end But this won't end But this won't end But this won't end

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 23, 2026

I feel like something profound and meaningful Should be espoused from this platform, words wise beyond their years A message of some purpose or consequence Derivative, the sentiment is painfully hollow There is nothing, I pretend to dig deep But the words are passionless There is nothing, I pretend to dig deep But the words are passionless Slumped over in a chair once hoped forgotten Facing enemies passed as quick fixes to greater, deeper set issues Suitable diction proves elusive As my mind dances like a mongoose 'round a cobra But I'll bury broken muses, my own hidden Burgess Shale But I'll bury broken muses, my own hidden Burgess Shale There is nothing, I pretend to dig deep But the words are passionless There is nothing, I pretend to dig deep But the words are passionless There is nothing, I pretend to dig deep But the words are passionless There is nothing, I pretend to dig deep But the words are passionless Pull up another black hood Warming my cold weathered hands Curl up in lose fit flannel And self-preserve And self-preserve And self-preserve And self-preserve And self-preserve And self-preserve

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 23, 2026

The procrastinator it's far too easy to hide behind Abundant distractions and coyly whittle away at the hours With hollow preamble these days Trade one uphill battle for another old injuries strain deep Am I alone? This is my black hole Am I alone? This is my black hole The procrastinator it's far too easy to hide behind Abundant distractions and coyly whittle away at the hours With hollow preamble these days Trade one uphill battle for another old injuries strain deep As my hunched shoulders and neck, slightly askew Peer forth, awaiting just one word A solitary notification, is someone there? Tongue to teeth, feet curled beneath Feet curled beneath A finely crafted adjustable chair Time seemingly irrelevant I am lost to possibility Equally terrified and delighted A finely crafted adjustable chair Time seemingly irrelevant I am lost to possibility Equally terrified and delighted Figure your life out Am I alone? This is my black hole Am I alone? This is my black hole Am I alone? This is my black hole Am I alone? Am I alone? This is my black hole Am I alone?

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 23, 2026

Staring at a blank slate Reaching out for nothing But cycling through the process Consistently, obsessively In an attempt to avoid any kind of forward motion I wish I could tell you why But I'm unaware Unaware of the motivation I don't want help, I don't want to move The act of physical combat The only thing that remotely excites me Enough to leave my quarters Day in and day out Expecting nothing Wanting nothing, nothing, nothing at all Expecting nothing Wanting nothing, nothing, nothing at all Expecting nothing Wanting nothing, nothing, nothing at all Stereotypical enough to laugh at the concept That the only temporary relief to this weight Is the adrenaline rush from having your life choked from your body Get me on the road so I can live again Get me on the road so I can live again Get me on the road so I can live again Get me on the road so I can live again

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 23, 2026

Have to keep my words close, keep them safe and keep them succint So much has changed but I can't tell just how thoroughly Maybe this ice age is reaching its twilight And we're reading too far into the damage done Maybe there is still hope Maybe this is ridiculous Expression is suicide Admittance, sure death Have to keep my words close, keep them safe and keep them succinct So much has changed but I can't tell just how thoroughly Maybe this ice age is reaching its twilight And we're reading too far into the damage done Granite to steel, familiar bookends To this chronically distorted heightened perceptive state I hate this hell This is weakness, this is forfeit Do it Oh fuckin' shit Maybe there is still hope Maybe this is ridiculous Expression is suicide Admittance, sure death Maybe there is still hope Maybe this is ridiculous Expression is suicide Admittance, sure death

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 23, 2026

(These are not skies for dreamers) (These are not skies for dreamers) (I can hold my breath, but I'll die here waiting) (I can hold my breath, but I'll die here waiting)

Submitted by johnmansley — Feb 23, 2026