i was telling aunt bea
about
a friend
of mine
that works
in a nursing home
and
how she said
that
some elderly
are
so confused
that they talk
about
people who’ve died
as if
they’re still alive
aunt bea
took a deep breath
and
said
there are people
on the periphery
of
your life
who’ve passed on
that we say
i knew them
but
there are others
whose love is so implanted
in our hearts and souls
that they are
always
talked about as
i know
so and so
for you see
they are
still alive
a living memory
of
true love
what woke you
at
night
when you were
a child
still lingers
in
the darkness
haunting
the hours
before dawn
but
for
some poor souls
it lingers
throughout
the day
and though
these are
no more
than created ghosts
harmless apparitions
that
cannot touch
nor
be touched
their mere
presence
in the light of day
fosters
anxieties
spinning
the mind
like
a child playing
with
an old toy top
creating
a dark loneliness
an invisible veil
that conceals
the colors
of
the world
leaving only
shades
of gray
and
dark shadows
turning
each day
into
a child’s night
once death’s accepted the question’s not if but when the worrisome how is an agenda item paramount in some folk’s minds but there’s an old lie that fills our hearts with anger eternal life myths those promises that control our desires and behaviors keeping us restrained compliant to other’s will oh we had a choice go against society and live in the wilderness or meekly comply and go with the flow of life sacrificing dreams but being an outstanding to be forgot fine corpse with a funeral toast praising all that you didn’t do making you a saint in some distant land of peace an undocumented soul
now if the promised heaven is important to you you may want to follow the prescription of gospel doctors those folks occupying pulpits on fridays saturdays or sundays and increase your contributions to their more than worthy cause hell you may even elect to help paint the preacher’s manse but i’ll assure even before the paint begins to dry you’ll start to wonder perhaps because of the paint fumes why you’re spending so much time doing what could be contracted out if other parishioners would or could feel the spirit of god in their souls you know the ones who claim to be moved to be disciples as long as it doesn’t cost them any money just words it’s at that point you consider putting the paintbrush down and stuffing it up someplace else
please stay
in
your
designated line
divine blessings
on
earth
are allotted
according to
your position
in line
but
rest assured
that
you’ll
be
given
a fair share
of
life’s bounty
upon
your souls passing
into
the chimeric promised land
a sure guarantee
from those
who
oppressed you
during
your time
on
earth
can’t hear own thoughts too much noise trafficking from lies and hate masking out voices in pain homeless dreams some wrapped in the currency of war but what can one voice do to rise above war’s cacophony of misery though a simple solution one could join the choir of hope sending forth words of unwavering belief in tomorrow that grasps the minds of social sinners like an old gospel hymn swaying the coldest heart towards redemption or offer up such a sweet solo of truth so powerful that the walls of deception crumble into dust revealing all that was hidden that my friend is what one voice can do so rejoice