Friday, April 20, 2012

The Narrow Ledge

I haven't read this poem in years and well, it's not as clean as I'd like it to be, but it's still strong in how it affects me.  The story behind this is that I basically had this image in my mind while in youth group a while back and it's always stuck with me.  I hope you enjoy it and find it encouraging.

The Narrow Ledge

A man walks
But not where others are
Yet, where everyone is in its place
Here is another realm
In fact, I think the man is myself
On a Narrow Ledge
A Ledge no columns hold
There is only forward as well
Nothing is behind me
Oh, there is a couple!
No shouts will turn
Now the left sphere of vision is blue and calm
While the right,
Molten reds and yellows
Where dragon-like flames
Fly and threaten to pull me down
I know, it is an illusion
Meant to cause me to stumble
But evermore,
To take my soul
While the right is busy,
The blue left is encouraging
I cannot help
But want to jump
Oh, wait, a couple just did
Yet, the dragon swept them away
To the right,
Oh the screams of desperation
I step,
Guess there is no other way
Of joining the deep blue
Yet, the sounds there
Are beyond musical
I myself want to reach
Out to the blue on my own
But the dragons
Oh well, must go forward
After some time
I reach another phase
It seems
That both the blue and red side
Are reacting to each other
Great winds become visible
To the eye
Tornadoes roam an all sides
The Ledge stays still
I can feel the wind
But I know it won’t take me
If I don’t look at it
I look down the ledge
Again, not much to see
Though there is a star
I would say it’s white,
But each twinkle denies
That statement
Then a person stops down
Further along the narrow
I cautiously move on
Closer and closer I come
He turns and faces me
Horrifically he talks
With many mouths, only two eyes
But the mouths talk in unison
And with different voices
Some I recognize as my own
I begin to despair
I can’t go around,
It is too narrow
Falling to my knees
I begin to truly weep
After some time I stop
The demon gone
With no composure
I run and streams
Of tears flow in my wake
It must have been days
When I tripped and fell
I got up and another
Was staring at me
Only this had many faces
It could have been a man
Or demon, but much greater was he
For he took my hand
And contact unveiled my
Eyes to see his faces as one
He did not say much
Just that,
“You have been forgiven much”
I wept and embraced him
I sobbingly kissed his hands
He led me forward
And I saw the star
Again, it followed the man
We came to a door
He motioned me to go
I was scared, but knew
All would be well
I stepped through
As I opened
Lights of all colors
And songs of all forms
Bathed me with
A never-ending joy
I cried again, but
Happy tears fell
I ran with my
Welcoming song
And met all the others
So many people, even
Magical creatures I only
Saw in dreams
Bowed their welcome
Then I saw him again
He was sitting on a great throne
With the mightiest of angels
Beast and humans alike
And I began to worship
Never again did I care
About my own time
Worship became eternal
And joy became worship

©T.S. Graveline

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Colonoscopy--Wrote this a few years ago

Colonoscopy

“Take three deep breaths.”
And let the hour long coma
Take place.  This is the single,
Most amazing feeling in life.
I can completely escape reality.
Don’t have to think about school,
Work, family, lack of a love life,
But for just one hour I don’t have to think.
Thinking is the worst thing I can do.
No senses are at work in this state.
Complete imagination takes over.
It’s as if I’ve found another reality,
Another dimension within my mind.
I only wish I could travel the gurney
Of midnight delight, and ride it to Ink and Write.
Who knows, perhaps this is the same sphere
The opium addict writers of the past found.
This is where I want to be. 

            Yet, I would rather not
Have to go through the process of surgery to find
Home.  I awake and the nurse tells me, “You must
Pass gas or there may be damage.”  I have license to
Fart all I want to.  Another great side-effect.

© T.S. Graveline