The Wretched

Paul Lisney

I wrote this about the story of Frankenstein by Mary Shelly. The first part is from the viewpoint of Victor Frankenstein and the second part from the view of the creature. Quite a bit later I realized that the chorus was actually about myself.

The Wretched

What is this that I have created?
What did I do and can it be undone?
And if I could I would turn back the hands of time
And the nightmare would be gone

This thing, it horrifies me
I took from the best and breathed new life
And now I can’t bear to look into his eyes
Repulsed, I spurn what I have made

I was living in a world of darkness
Searching for the light
Wanting to deny the sadness
Not seeing wrong from right
Drunk on the pride and power
Coursing through my veins
Deaf to the words of the sages

Gave my word, it had to be broken
As I did to him, so he did to me
Took from me the love that made me new
Never to return, never to return

What have I done to my creator
Lying there so still in the arctic night
I never asked to be, I never wanted to be
You cast this pain upon me, and for this you’ve paid
All men hate the wretched, I wanted love but I found hatred
And now I don’t deserve to be

I was living in a world of darkness
Searching for the light
Tried to overcome the sadness
But choosing wrong from right
Caving in to the anger
Vengeance, it was mine
Death to those who have made me (what I am)

6/27/95 © 1995 Paul Lisney