Lawrence Sharp Poet Free verse

Alas, Gehenna

First descent
had every bone crushed,
as a true descent must do.

Second descent
was of a toxin
placed neither by devil nor god.

Third descent, fourth, and beyond,
were of increasingly greater craft
and increasingly greater uncertainty.

I lay in the soil,
assimilated into
the common grave of mankind.

I vanished into the worms,
the stench ought to have killed me,
yet abjectly I survived.

And thereafter I saw the hereafter,
and I would not withstand
the finality of Gehenna's flames.

In a deathly moment of failure,
I returned from the grave,
for I hadn't the might to remain.

6th September 2018

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Maureen McGreavy Pigeon Tart October 1, 2018 at 8:23 AM Potent. Spectacular piece of writing my friend. xomo Lawrence Sharp October 1, 2018 at 11:32 AM Thanks, Maureen, too kind.

Richard Lamoureux September 17, 2018 at 12:47 AM Interesting choices of words. Especially the last stanza. Their are those who believe that to be the case, however the joy of their loved ones abounds. Lawrence Sharp September 17, 2018 at 9:32 AM True that, Richard. Dark needs light.

Robert Lindley September 13, 2018 at 5:30 AM Deep , dark and profound my friend. Where true death lives is an eternal state. On earth man is cast into the ground to decay back into, THAT FROM WHICH HE CAME. Yet again superb poetry my good friend... A fav.. a dark gem Lawrence Sharp September 14, 2018 at 10:59 AM Thanks Robert, if a dark poet of your caliber enjoys a piece, I take that as very high praise, and thank you no end for fav'ing.

Winged Warrior September 8, 2018 at 3:04 PM Interesting write my friend... a pleasure to read...love & hereafter...^WW^ Lawrence Sharp September 9, 2018 at 1:02 PM Thanks W's, glad you enjoyed.

Vijay Pandit September 7, 2018 at 4:30 PM Clever words..And thereafter I saw the hereafter...and ..In a deathly moment of failure..Intriguing poem Lawrence..made me pause and think. Lawrence Sharp September 8, 2018 at 11:32 AM Thanks Vijay, appreciated.