I Lay

[Crepuscule]

Okay, after countless thoughts on the topic (and pulling my hair off), I'm still as unsure as ever, although, I would want to present my side of it.

First of all, I used alteration in this poem, and "I Lay" sounds nicer than "I Lie" as "lie" is often connected to "telling the untruth". More so, "I Lay" is more pleasing to the ears (as Heartafire stated, it is more "cute", for lack of better word).

You wouldn't be the first to use that rationale. "Lay Lady Lay" by Bob Dylan got away with it.

Also, about

"The sky was lonely as I/me, starless and dark" bit of a conflict of tense here

I always used "my friends and I" rather than "my friends and me", I'm not really sure if this applies though, so any clarifications please?.

Objective vs subjective.

Use "I" when you're the subject of the sentence, "me" when you're the object.

In this case "the sky" is the subject and you are the object.

("my friends and I" presents two subjects)

As far as the tense goes, it would work either way but should be consistent.