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Michael

Moderator

Member Rara Avis

since 1999-08-13

Posts 7666
California

0 posted 2013-12-13 05:53 PM

Who's There?

I'd wandered through the forest, still
As if time, itself, lost its will.
But I could sense the eyes on me
As I drew on, most willfully.
I called, "Who's there? "No answer came,
Some time ago given to shame.
And so unfolded each new night
My forsaken path through the blight.

By day, the gray fog slithered in—
Kept me from seeing where I'd been.
By night, the pitch-black way I'd weave
Bordered on something make-believe.
I'd lost all faith, all hope, all care:
My sad tributes to disrepair;
Watching things that in darkness creep
Feed on a mind immune to sleep.

The tortures of an inane curse,
I'd cut myself to bleed in verse;
But ne'er found the slightest reprieve
For all my conscience chose to grieve.
And still I'd press, a madman drawn
Through trees long dead, my forest gone!
Replaced by sand, a desert's spell:
My eternity crossing hell.

And yet one day the sun did rise—
The stones fresh fallen from these eyes.
I woke to find a soul been starved
Next a headstone, name yet uncarved.
A soul abandoned long ago,
Never held long enough to know;
But left here in lieu of the dead
That only live on in my head.

For them, I'd martyred self I thought,
But oh, the woe Destiny's wrought.
No, now all these opened eyes see:
I but martyred myself for me.
So now I turn and walk away,
My soul to grieve some other day;
Tentatively through the thoroughfare
I call out once again, "Who's there?"

Michael Anderson

12/13/2013

ponderthepoetorrsx
Member

since 2011-06-25

Posts 284
U.S , Ca

1 posted 2013-12-13 09:06 PM

Very nice may be unrelated but it sort of reminded me of
A poem called la bella dame sans merci

Richard

Kit McCallum

Administrator

Member Laureate

since 2000-04-30

Posts 14774
Ontario, Canada

2 posted 2013-12-13 09:26 PM

"So now I turn and walk away,
My soul to grieve some other day;"

Michael, I wish I could adequately express how much I appreciate the depth of self that you have explored within this piece. Beautifully written, in both form and content.

Best wishes,
Kit

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