"Perspective is Infinite/The Kiss Revisited"

I've never actually posted an explanation for any of my poems, I don't think. As my girlfriend has pointed out to me about several of my pieces, "art is subjective". Indeed it is. However, I never realized, until recently, how open my stuff was to interpretation. 

I recently posted a poem entitled "The Kiss", which was well-received. I had several people comment on it and say very kind words. For that I thank you. I've received many comments on this piece from other writing communities I'm in aside from my blog.

It seems this poem has been interpreted as a bittersweet love poem. Several people expressed empathy for me because of that. I thank you for that. 

However, this time I feel compelled to share with you a response I wrote to one of my readers. For ease of use I've also pasted here that same poem again. I do this so that you may reread it after this explanation and look at it from a different perspective. Hopefully you'll still like it. Ideally it'll touch some of you more deeply and you'll share the message I think it'll better convey after this explanation....

I know "art" is subjective and everyone interprets it a different way. What I found interesting, though, is that so far everyone has interpreted it as "this is about a girl". 

What makes that interesting to me is that that's not how it was intended. This was the final thoughts of someone dying from a drug overdose. 

You see, we all have our own "demons" to deal with. Some people turn to drugs to cope and slowly succumb to that darkness until it overtakes them. Personally, I've never had that issue but I thought this might be what runs through someone's mind as the light slowly left their eyes. This was initially titled "Slipping Away"....

        The Kiss

Once upon a time I was young, naive and  so alive

I was in love with the day and yearned for the night

Then came your kiss

A bitter cold like the air just before the first snows arrive

A sensation too intoxicating for me to fight

There was your kiss

Spoiling my innocence, purity and dreams 

Corrupting my soul and eroding my confidence

With that kiss

Stealing my breath and stifling my screams

Knowing full well that I have no means of defense

Against your kiss

Once was not enough and it draws me back for more

How do I escape this; how can I ever live again

Aching for that kiss

If only I'd known what evils you had in store

Or what hell would befall me for commission of my sin

For tasting Death's arsenic kiss

Christian Touchet

Diametric

 You don't feel the pain that I do

And I can't see what's inside you

You don't know the things I've seen

And I can't exist inside your dreams

We can't comprehend the nerves we've exposed 

We are light and dark; diametrically opposed

You want to be loved and cared for 

Two of the things I most abhor

Not that I don't feel these things too

Just that I could never give them to you

For you're an angel bathed in light

And I'm a demon at home in the night

I steal that soul your heart exposed

You and I are diametrically opposed

You're sweet innocent pure and naive

I'm a hardened cynic too jaded to believe

Where your halo radiates loving light 

My fires only brighten from screams of fright 

The darker I am the more your light glows

We are diametrically opposed

Your angel song is glorious to those that hear

And I bring terror to those who dare come near

The righteous look to you for guidance

As I punish equally when I have a chance 

They need us both I suppose

For we are diametrically opposed

Only in the dark is light of any use

They need wrong and right in order to choose

I don't commit the wrong nor you the right

Yet they blame us with their limited sight

We are two sides of the same coin I suppose

You and I, diametrically opposed

Devil's Laughter

        Devils Laughter

I spoke with an angel today 

'Twas the most beautiful voice I've ever heard

I felt like I could float away 

I happily hung on her every word

I unraveled my soul and felt at ease

She smiled at me and showed compassion

Not once did she judge, mock or tease

We carried on for hours in this fashion

And I knew things were going to work out fine

It seems there's an angel for us all

Each day I look forward to speaking with mine

Ever closer to watching her fall

She's so sweet pure and innocent

She doesn't even see that I'm planning her demise

The poor thing won't understand my intent

At first I'll see the shock and betrayal in her eyes

As my words slowly strip her of her gossamer wings

Never understanding as she falls from grace

Our world isn't meant for such gentle things 

I'm saving her now from this cruel and evil place

I'll create for her a prison full of tormented souls

Where she will see there's no beauty in being above me

She can have my spot in hell when we switch roles

Then I'll take flight and it'll be heaven I see

But what is that, someone crying out in pain 

I'll just swing by and see what torments them so

As days pass my desire for heaven begins to wain

My joy at listening to their soul makes me forget to go

Too late to stop it my wings fade and I plummet

The circle is closing as I drop back to my personal hell

I listened to their sins and took their evil from it

Humanity is a lesson I've just learned well

We all strive to be Angels and ascend from this mortal plane

But the evils we commit in this life will follow us ever after

Twas my own sins sung in my angel's sweet refrain

And I can't earn wings with my own Devils laughter