Beauty awaits
rising high
pouring sunlight
honey running down the gates
We stand at her steel mercy
waiting for a sign
that life may open to us
that we may walk forward
and all we hear is laughter
rising from the dark wood
the forest that surrounds us
that tempts and frightens
Filled with fireflies
and sharp teeth
fears of the past
monsters made flesh
with hearts in their mirrored eyes
the kind that spurt blood
as they’re ripped from our chests
—
So we wait and we pray
for the easy paved road
with every step lit
gated off from darkness
protected from death
for awhile at least …
—
This road of progress leading nowhere
going further every day
Brick by stolen brick
built of treasures
secrets of the forest
blood of the earth
gifts formed by eons
stepped on
ignored with mirth
A man with a gun walks our way
with a creak, the gate opens.
“Only one,
you, born in May.”
He points at me.
I step forward, past the disappointed crowd
No idea why
only I,
me
am allowed
Was it my father?
my white skin?
a twist of fate?
What boon let me pass?
to walk beyond the gate
Who am I?
to walk fancy free
on the bones of others
past quarters of slaves
shackled by chance
by their birth
and god’s rolling dice
—
“Why must they suffer?” I ask
“So that we may stay clean,” answered a guard
“Are we not dirt?”
“Aye, but let them dig for us,” said the guard
“Don’t question the way
or we’ll throw you in, too.
or out to the wild beasts
into the jungles where we begin.
Isn’t it better to walk with us?
Warm and free
Where no monsters can touch us
save you or me?”
—
So I walked slowly on
without meter or rhyme
past frozen clouds
gorged on too much time
The easy path led me alone
until I looked down
I stood on two stones
carried by a man
and I asked him his name
“Robin, good sir,
though why do you ask?
I’ll carry you until I die
and you have their power
the privilege to ignore me
to forget I’m like you
So why do you ask my name if there’s nothing to do?”
“Because there is, dear Robin
something to do in a way
much
much to do
for we’ve both been led astray
First, put me down
don’t carry me this way.”
And Robin lowered me down
my feet on the ground
I saw into his eyes
ran my fingers across scars on baked skin
—
“No one was meant to walk for another
our world has gone ill
We’ve sacrificed our humanity for steel gates
and the safety of lies
Let us walk together
freeing those as we can
and when we have a chance
back to the woods
back to the truth
We’ll build a new world
Where all people matter
and we’ll teach everyone how to live
and let go of their vengeance
so that we can find peace
—
We’ll grow our own food
and use light from the sun
The monsters, I know
and they will be our friends
scaring the guards
keeping the cowards at bay
and one day we’ll be many
and we’ll free all our sisters and brothers
leading them from the fence
leaving those with empty power to fend for themselves.”
—
So we stepped through the bars
slipping by the fence
out from neon lights
and into the stars.