Paul Willason Poet Free verse

The Dark Trilogy

1. The Rap Sheet

At your age
you should have put aside
the relentless rounds
of self interrogation
and found some plateau 
of peace washed by
warm memories, acceptance
and absolution.

But just when you thought 
you had been granted freedom,
the mind's Stasi finds you
and the forensic questioning
continues under the glare
of guilt. The same
rap sheet - you were never
good enough
to be a citizen of the State.

Only now you are slowly losing
the strength to hang on
to what little you have
and not confess.
In the end it is not
a matter of who is right
and who is wrong,
it comes down to survival.



2. A Confined Space

Finally it becomes inescapable -
the accumulations of a lifetime
solidify into a cell.  Every fear,
every avoidance, every step taken
to withdraw cements a brick 
in place until you have imprisoned
yourself within four walls. Then
you close the self locking door.

Your life now is a confined space
and your only hope of salvation 
has become a small crack
in the wall through which
the universe shines through
in such exquisite detail 
and brightness and is made 
more so by your own dark.


3. Staring Fear In The Face

You are a good practitioner,
a cultivator of fear planted
in the fertile soils of childhood.
You have grown the most grotesque 
blooms whose perfumes paralyse 
and waft for years without
a loss of potency. Some stick
in the throat and send panic
clamouring for breath.

And so here you are, old man,
wearing the disfigurement 
of your own making, the contorted
masks of fear. You stare
into the mirror, past the horror, 
shame, the loathing, the lifelong 
condemnation and shrink
before an illuminating light
whose source you fear,
who sees you and yet
still loves you.

♡Like1

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Deb M September 30, 2026 at 9:39 AM Wow Paul you have done it again….another captivating Paul journey taken by me! I felt your powerful words ….especially the last stanza ‘ staring fear in the face’ relatable! Loved it! Debx

Laurentine G September 30, 2026 at 6:04 AM I am transfixed by your brilliance Paul, having felt the grip of unbridled fear myself, I resonate with your words. I still regale myself with my capacity to shrug it off for swaths of time but fear seems to pounce unexpectedly regardless. Like you, beauty can take my breath away. Ahh "good practitioners"! indeed! I often think my skill at almost non-descript but intense self persecution could also be cultivated into a different superpower and perhaps I have (but fail to register it during my self assessments). Amazing poetry and every poem gifts me the opportunity to comment how grateful I am to read your words and not feel like a little lonely soul feeling this way (with the added benefit to me that I rate you so highly that it allows me a little self reflection about thoughts and reality).