Linkin Park tribute Poem

As part of a Poetry group on Twitter, I receive daily prompts - sometimes words, other times images, and, most recently a song prompt.

With Image Prompts, it is simple - interpret the image in a poem any way you see fit.
With Word Prompts,  it's also simple - use the daily word in a poem.
But this latest prompt, a song, is a different game altogether.

Songs are, in a way, poems. Well, at least the good songs are poems. Songs tell stories, expose emotions, intents, psychological responses . . . But then there is also the music, which plays a vital role in how we interpret the meaning of the song.

The song selected for this week's prompt is Waiting for the End by Linkin Park with the talented late Chester Bennington. This being so close to the first anniversary of Chester's untimely death, I thought to concentrate only on the chorus, which were his lines:

"We're waiting for the end to come
Wishing I had strength to stand
This is not what I had planned
It's out of my control

Flying at the speed of light
Thoughts were spinning in my head
So many things were left unsaid
It's hard to let you go

I know what it takes to move on
I know how it feels to lie
All I want to do is trade this life for something new
Holding on to what I haven't got"

Now being about the same age as Chester, having experienced some messed-up things myself, and knowing what I know, I decided to interpret these lines not as part of a song about an ending relationship, but as a song about inner suffering.

The exercise is in no way meant to disrespect the memory of Chester Bennington. He was a very talented vocalist, and an amazing songwriter. I wish he was still around.

So, without further ado, here is my poem.