Beyond the Pale, There Be Dragons

Savior

You cut the strings wrapped round our hands

And taught us a new dance, light in our steps

You chased away the marionette masters

‘Til they cowered in dark corners, gnashing their teeth

But we were afraid we would fall from our pretty painted shelves

So we bound our hair round our wrists, lifted our slackened arms

And stood still

You called down a cedar branch to pull us from quicksand

Renewing our minds so our feet remembered the firm feel of earth

You burned the marauders’ shovels and their watery solutions

So they were left with nothing to dig their next deception

But we were uncertain of the solid foundation under our walk

So we used our past to make our own liquid grave, eased ourselves in

And slowly sank

You sang over us as we crouched in our fetid darkness

Lighting us up with the truth of our purity, our righteousness

You cast out the bitter voice of the deadly harbingers

‘Til they clawed at their throats and choked on their breath

But we recoiled from this new sun shining through us

So we ran to the comfort of cold shadows, closed our eyes

And went blind

You thwarted every foe with song and branch and dance

You scattered our enemies to the outer edges of existence

You wept at our brokenness and bound our ugly wounds

You spoke us into life and loved us into freedom

You swam us through waters and flew us over skies

You won every battle teaching us the heartbeat of peace

And still we fought you

When will we open our eyes and hear your voice

Climb from the mire to be washed by your embrace

Unfurl our long freed wings and fly swiftly to you

When will we stop being the reason we can’t stand

When will we see that you have done it all

And it is all ours for the taking, if only, if only

We would.

Sometimes it Fades Away...

I think most of us, at one time or another, have felt this way. It is a unique kind of pain...excruciating in its bitter sweetness.

Éponine

I held the string of your colored balloon,

So you could dance with someone else

She was a willow tree with flowered hair,

Soft leaves falling gently at her feet

I was shrubbery, lingering in the shadows

Keeping watch over your colored balloon

I held the weight of your bundle of roses

So you could write the perfect verse of love

You asked me for words to paint her eyes, the waltz of her step

I placed in my palm what I had to give, hoping you didn’t see

Dirt rimmed nails and fingerprints stained with blood

Protectively wrapped around your bundle of roses

I held your hand and collected your broken tears

So you could wonder where it all went wrong

She spoke and you spoke, bitter lightning in a field

Angry footsteps led you away, tearing open your sky

Through my shattered breath I sang to you of what once was

Love that still could be, my heart drowning in your broken tears

I held my breath, my hand on my throat, on that final day

So you could walk down the aisle, to await another

The air filled with perfume as petals floated on the breeze

Soft tears from eyes carried murmurs of a love meant to be

She was your ever after, you were her once upon a time

I was a prayer that my heart wouldn’t fail, on that final day

I held my smile as you drew me in close, my world fading to black

You whispered, “Thank you dear friend”, and forever walked away   

She was your white ballet moon, her dance reflected in your eyes

You were her crystal ball knight, her shield in a gray satin waist coat

She was froth and wisps of silks; you were tall and drunk with love

I was the fool with a kiss on my forehead, slowly fading to black