“The 5th rave: I lied when I said the 4th rave was my last.”

A poem by K.C. Amador

To lose oneself with the red lights

Comes the flashing white

You’ve chanted the lyrics by heart,

immersed yourself with three-dimensional backdrops.

A blue weighing scale, yellow crystals crushed into powder,

a brown rolling paper: recipe for a bomb,

not the ones that destroy a country

but avoid the taste of death.

The bomb dropped,

suddenly everything was light,

then you ascended to heaven

and accepted the DJ as your saviour.

The moment you let go,

you allow the music to take you,

an ephemeral euphoria

that keeps you coming back for more.

***

Whispers and phrases I remember from the rave

“I love you.”

“Thank you for being in my life.”

“I’m so grateful for our friendship.”

“This is the best birthday ever.”

“Ahhh, I’m so happy right now.”