Photos by Artemis Haftendorn
Edited by Riley Alexandra Dedio
Hush
I feel her eyes,
From across the room,
And know I’m hers, if she sees me.
She strides and glides,
Right through the crowd,
I know she does, she sees me.
The sweetest trap,
Is in her step,
But am I to fear her?
I could not flee,
As inexorably
She draws ever nearer.
Who are you?
And hush, she says.
And soft as silk, her finger on my lip.
Hush, she says.
And here I kneel, my soul tight in her grip.
Hush, she says.
And nothing in this world could matter.
Hush, she says.
And all my aches, she’ll make them better.
My queen foretold,
In dreams so bold
Leads me from this hall of strangers.
My life before
Seems such a bore
That I care not for the dangers.
How I got there,
Into her lair,
I never shall remember.
Far from the first
To feel this thirst,
But fool like all of them were.
Who are you?
And hush, she says.
And hard as steel, her heel upon my hip.
Hush, she says.
I beg of her the blessings of the whip.
Hush, she says.
Nothing but that one word repeating.
Hush, she says.
So cruelly cold to all my pleading.
My flesh laid bare,
All too aware
Of jealous eyes upon me.
Oh, let them stare,
I shall not care,
Such trifles are beyond me.
I sense a fleeting spark
Of a secret, dark
Beyond my comprehension.
Oh, I wanted this,
And yet there is
A dread I dare not mention.
Who are you?
And hush, she says.
And through my throat, her fangs, I feel them rip.
Hush, she says.
And still I kneel, my blood begins to drip.
Hush, she says.
And helpless, I gaze up in wonder.
Hush, she says.
And all my dreams now torn asunder.
Devouring eyes
Spell my demise
Your gaze now quite explicit.
The flesh you tore,
I long for more,
A pain far too exquisite.
This blood of mine
Shall be your wine
And never will I grieve it.
My time has come,
My life undone,
Your gift, I shall receive it.
Who are you?
Hail Aphrodite.
Stills (c) Artemis Haftendorn
Taken at Flying Earrings live in concert at Bandhaus Leipzig on March 27th, 2025.
Music & Lyrics (c) OeA Music 2025, all rights reserved.