Home » Poems » Chula Fleming » Paper Chains

Paper Chains

Soft and deep, dark eyes hiding secrets from yourself,
Making up your own realities, while Truth waits upon the shelf.
Haunting, it waits while the spiral ascends you,
Taking you higher and deeper into yourself;

Making up your realities, while Truth laughs upn the shelf.
I watch; my power beside me.  Listening, there's nothing I can do.
You choose the path, you choose the weapon, 
you choose the enemy.  He is you.

Our paths crossed and we loved each other
for an instant in the eternity of our time.
We choose the path, we choose the weapon,
I choose my enemy.  You are mine.

Now our time is short and the painful day is ending;
An affair with Power that seems never spent.
I thought you were the supreme answer to loving,
And our jaded love was the main event.

But love no longer blinds me.

I can look beyond your soft, dark eyes into the place
You hide your thoughtless lies.
You're keeping secrets from yourself.
Making up your own realities, while Truth yawns upon the shelf.

Emerged in your desire for freedom,
Why are you so blind to the shackles encircling your feet?
Freedom means responsibility, too, and taking risks.
Like love, it's bitter-sweet.

It means being free to try again when all else has failed.
In peace, you are free to hold out your softer hand 
Unabashed to the reasons why you faltered, 
Releasing pain and anger in order to understand.

You could rest your head upon my shoulder
Or, you are free to stand and leave.
I can tell you, but you'll never believe it:
You can entrust your heart, or retrieve it.

You think freedom means being able to run away
And never having to explain to me why
You have the right to break my heart,
Leaving me crumbled and alone to cry.

Just remember Freedom encases your love in
Shackles like so many colorful paper chains,
Only to be broken at the stroke of your hand.
Clutch it too hard and it slips away like sand.

But love no longer blinds me.

I now know the greatest love is for my own Self.
and Truth smiles and applauds amidst the dust upon the shelf.

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