On the Edge
On The Edge
He lay flat on the floor
On the edge of his mind's cliff
Taking notes
Wondering
is this life worth living
He tried to remember
Grasp onto
Happier times
Shadows of light
Fluttered beyond his grasp
Teasing
Evaporating
Hiding
Figments wrapped in glittering paper
Promising
Tempting
Geometrically angled
Away from him
He felt the coolness of the tile
Terracotta pressing against his forehead
Soothing
Absorbing his fever
Steadying him
Whispering
Promising relief
"Let your blood accentuate my redness"
" I will protect your bones"
Light flows through stained glass
Christ's brilliant blue eyes
Piercing his sadness
Reassuring him
There will be more days
Brighter lights
Warmth not clay
Sadness shall be left to yesterday
The floor will not be fed today
It is washed with his salty tears
The edge vanishes
Was it ever there?
One moment
Graciously
Turned to years
He sits in a pew
Looks up away from himself
It now seems so clear
He gets up
Walks across the floor
Walks out the silent door
Deciding once and for all
He doesn't need
Or want
This horrid place
Any more
His heart is healed
God goes where he goes
The suffering he lived no longer grows
What he remembers sets him free
He will not be lost to history
He chooses a life of Joy not misery.
Dedicated to native children abused in church and residential schools.
Their culture was systematically stripped away. in some cases much worse
things happened behind what should have been hallowed walls.
In writing this I question if this piece was honoring to Native people. As I thought about this I realized that this piece speaks to their resilience as a people. Despite what was done to them they have found a way to hold onto their culture traditions art and language. We have much that we can learn from them.
Written by: Richard J. Lamoureux
www.wisedummypoet.com
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