Den of Theives

Chaotic noise, deep in the bowels of darkness,
  shouting, laughter, squeals..
  The smell corrupts my senses,
  stench mixed with sweat and semen.

The air, rancid with lies and hate,
  fear palaple, feeding the frenzy,
  driving the masses ever further
  into darkness.

Dancing, wild and frenzied.
  The beat pounding, driving;
  penetrating and scattering thought;
  calling forth
  the base,
  the instinctual,
  the raw...

Not animal-like, no,
  for animals live in a sense of honor and respect
  taking only what is necessary and in turn
  giving of themselves for another.

The dark swallows
  and the masses plunge;
  swarming, strangling
  in the sea of putrid hate
  until they can swim no more,
  only sink
  to bottomless depths,
  suffocating on their own fear.

What is this place?
  Why am I brought here?
  What am I to witness, to learn,
  to understand from this journey
  into depravity?

Dissolute lifestyles
  manifest in disorders,
  disease, death;
  manic spending and throwing;
  measures of self defined by measures of wealth...

What is this place?
  How did we get ourselves here?