An Awakening, From Darkness Into the Light

An Awakening, From Darkness Into The Light As I walked the flame danced in my mouth I wearied yet the earnest spirit flew. I a poor lad born and raised in the South, Had nurtured the anger until immense it grew In the blackness, I raged seeking my relief; Yet the surge of power held me firm in its grip This was the essence of deep pride and belief A sword, a spear with its soon to be bloody tip And in my delirium, I cursed infinity As Fate and Death's black hand soothed my rage I no longer sought love, life or eternity My bridges burnt, I sought to rip up every page- Ignoring morn's bright gleam, I raced ever onward But a slave to my ever growing dark revenge As a bomb, a missile fast flying forward Ready to explode and the entire world singe. Then came a realization, a bolt from the blue I was right there standing in front of the grave Nothing but the grass, the soil between me and you There and then, your words did my life save; Son, I am gone but your life is yet to be lived Conquer your anger, let truth and light relieve Pray, speak from your heart, accept and forgive Understand, the darkness was sent to deceive. I looked to the sky and pleaded for resolution For I had fought long and great my hatred built This dark world aided by its poisonous institutions Having plunged its evil daggers in to the hilt. Then all grew dim, I woke to be in my warm bed Asking myself, had I truly been there All of it had seemed so very real in my head I rose, to ponder- was it a nightmare sent to scare? I dressed, made my decision to all this go check Hoping against hope that it was all true For truth was my life had long been a wreck As life had naught but its sorrows threw. I drove to the graveyard, hoping for a clue Anything to confirm that I had indeed been there For in that dream, I had actually talked to you And felt your love and how much you truly care. I found no evidence and in dismay walked away But dad I know the truth of the words you had spoke So at that very moment, I bowed my head to pray For a small spark in this grieving heart you had woke Then I heard a voice say so plain and so clear You are my son too, now be thee now in peace I am with you now, always ever so near I have commanded the darkness its torments to cease. As I walked that long way back to my car, I then heard You are my beloved son, I too watch over you God spoke to you, I too heard God's every word Always that this great day would come, I prayed for too. R.J. Lindley, 1976