guarded actions…

fears like thorns of pain
from yesterday’s fields pierce deep
into today’s flesh 
creating a tenderness
and haltering future steps

 

 

denial of beauty…

the old man
said
place your fears
upon
the altar’s fire
so
like
a lamb
we may
offer them up
to
the gods
as repentance
for
your self-doubt
doubt
that binds you
to
the words
of others
words
like sharp blades
that
carve
your name
upon
the wooden gravestone
of
fools
a marker
that
so
soon
rots away
leaving
your days
upon this earth
blended
into the earth’s darkness
to ner
be seen
again

armageddon…

dawning of the new day
let the battle drums
proclaim this day
that hope shall not be denied
today in the armor of truth
hope shall stand
before the gates of hell
and deny death
its rewards for deception
standing as a man
who will not bow before
the arrogance of inhumanity
nor bleed tears of despair
hope shall march into
the spiritual realm of evil
and free the tortured souls
lingering with self-doubt
on their crosses of fear
it shall raise its banner of faith
high in the air
regaining all that was lost
to spirits of greed
and hate
letting no man
nor beast
stand in its way
for this day
victory
will not be
a dream

This poem represents my second response to  the third challenge series between Jade and I.  This challenge is somewhat different in that the prompt is now an audio prompt.  Each poet provides the other with five instrumental songs (so that the song’s words do not interefere with the poet’s) from which the poet is to write a poem.  Jade has written her first response which can be found here.