Larry once got buried under all his own insecurities
he delicately tried to balance life and all it’s delicacies 
this life was always somewhat impractical
Larry was hopeless bearing all of these emotions
Larry always knew about but never understood the paradox of himself

Larry decided he wanted to pass a mountain
instead of climbing it, or going around it
he went straight through scratching first his nails away until they bled
then he scoured the bones from his fingers into dust
with his teeth he crumbled rocks inside his mouth
still crawling through his own tunnel 
fighting the walls around him while 
complete darkness surrounded him
without light to guide him anywhere
he kept scratching and chewing his way through earth and stone

while digging Larry met a trapped demon 
locked away by petty gods for some forgotten cause
without light Larry was blind
he freed the demon from his stone shackles accidentally
no longer captured under the weight of mountain
the demon screamed 
happy or angry Larry never knew 
but the screaming startled Larry 
thus in response Larry screamed too
he screamed so loud the mountain shook
as if an earthquake hit its roots
the demon yelled again, this time in pain
because Larry’s screaming broke his ears
now Larry realised the demons presence
he answered differently
but the demon almost deaf could no longer understand
so he tried cursing Larry 
with words containing ancient magic
Larry ignored him and found the demons face 
using the touch of his tongue
he hugged and kissed the demon 
Larry neared his left ear and licked the auricle tasting blood 
then he spoke soft but clearly
hoping the demon could hear 
Larry said this hadn’t been his intention
and that he was sorry
but that he had to continue now
so Larry started digging again 
first through flesh and bones and the demon's agony
and when the cries for help fell silent
Larry dug again through earth and stone 

Larry came out the other side without hands 
into the light again but
with only bloody bony stumps left on on the end of both arms
none of his teeth left within his mouth 
his organs pierced by swallowed splinters 
made from pieces crystal and bone
none of his suffering had disappeared 
all his many thoughts still within is mind
but Larry felt part of his spirit gutted 
he wondered what it was he tried to find

nine months he fought the mountain with himself
challenged the thick crust of the earth 
using his own body as a tool
nine months - a time enough for a human to go from nothing to being born into life
but Larry didn’t feel reborn 
he felt things, sure
but he was mostly bored

Larry reached his goal but was still stuck inside of his own paradox
still he felt eclipsed by himself 
he thought what he did might have changed things
but it did not