Was over my soul
Perched like a vulture
Un-live, like a ghoul
Nameless and faceless
‘Twas felt but unseen
Present in waking
Still there in my dreams
It stalked my progress
As predators will
It tainted my joy
My pain did it fill
It drove me to leave
The faith of my youth
And then disavow
My quest for the truth
It cost me my wife
And robbed me of joy
Sent me back reeling
From romantic ploys
But hope, like a weed
Was planted beside
Sprung up, unlooked for
Its grin open wide
Hopes, wending their way
Like worms to my core
Disturbed the darkness
My fears thirsted for
I fought them, those hopes
With tooth and with nail
Resisting their lure
Defending my jail
To hope that’s the lot
Of other folks lives
To reach for their dreams
To find brighter skies
Yet, fight as I might
The hope would not go
The dark, it was pierced
The flame, it did grow
The struggle went on
‘Tween dark and the light
It took all my strength
Containing the fight
It threatened my mind
It wounded my soul
I functioned each day
But hardly was whole
And step by slow step
I climb from the mire
The dark is still close
Though fought by the fire
I still feel its tug
That comforting fear
The cold terror felt,
Familiar and near
But know I too well
The cost of that path
A road without joy
A place without laugh
So seek I instead
That nebulous hope
Carefully climbing
That slippery slope
I know not the goal
That waits at the peak
I know not the shape
Of treasure I seek
Know only behind
Is pain and is fear
Where loneliness creeps
And darkness is near
Perhaps I will fail
Mayhaps I will fall
The chance is my hope
Is no hope at all
Still, I will go on
And see what is there
‘Has to be better
Than pits of despair
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This poem, and many others can be found in my collection 'Poetry's Purpose'.
Printed copies can be purchased at Lulu.com
www.lulu.com/spotlight/uicearbhaill
The Kindle version can be purchased on Amazon.com
www.amazon.com/dp/B00YX2VZ78
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