Are You Ready? (YA 12+)

Are You Ready?
by Tim Griffin 2023

I was up in Massachusetts at a university
For some forbidden research in the library
I was seeking explanation of the visions in my head
When the voices of the damned began to speak to me and said:

Are you ready (are you ready) for the end of the world
When he rises from R’lyeh with his tentacles unfurled
You’ll have no other option but to heed his horrid call
When Cthulhu rises from the deep and eats us all.

I wondered at the meaning of the message I had heard
But determined to continue with my reading undeterred
The words were looking weirder as they swam before my eyes
Until once again I heard the voices’ unholy cries:

Are you ready (are you ready) he’s dreaming of your doom
But once he’s got his coffee on, he’ll be here pretty soon
Will you answer with a whimper when you hear his horrid call
When Cthulhu rises from the deep and eats us all.

I decided I should try to get some medical advice
About the voices that were saying things that weren’t very nice
The doctor heard my story but confirmed all my fears
When he ran away in horror with his hands upon his ears

Are you ready (are you ready) for the end of days
When the sanest ones among us are the ones who are crazed
Your sanity will crumble and humanity will fall
When Cthulhu rises from the deep and eats us all.

I determined not to burden all my friends and family
With my knowledge from the college of what lies beneath the sea
I’m heading for the ocean to accept my sorry fate
When Cthulhu wants his dinner, you had better not be late

Are you ready (are you ready) for when the world goes mad
When he rises from R’lyeh, it’s R’lyeh pretty bad
So tremble at a terror from another space and time
When he’s waking and he’s shaking off t he deep sea slime

Are you ready (are you ready), it could be much worse
When Cthulhu comes, the lucky ones will be eaten first
So woe to those purporting to ignore his horrid call
When Cthulhu rises from the deep and eats us all!

Notes

A musical homage to H.P. Lovecraft, whose stories made my time at summer camp far more interesting. Fair warning: those stories are pretty scary!