The Innocence Gate

photo by: Chris Radburn

There is a needing and a caring
a taking and a giving
a sainted depth of sharing
a bless’ed way of living

pieces of one’s soul
peeled away
for the sake of the cherished

writ in blood an awful tome
of all those that perished

a duality of dark and light
of positive and negative
of eternal wrong and right

it haunts by reaching out
with wing’ed clutch
of profaned hands

impaled evil
which in shadow stands

to inflict raw wounds
pure savage
beastly brutes of ravage

that also bless with sacred touch
to sooth the burning bruise
and heal the unseen damage
foretold in ancient truths
rooted in the need to nurture

open the gate of true compassion
bar not the weak in need
take not advantage of their wanting
they are not prey for your hunting
rebuke contemptuous greed

in the looking one-eyed blind
to see that which is not seen
know sure the frailties
in the feigh unfocused seer

madness engulfs the heart
of the flat-light sighted
obscuring truth
amplifying fear

yet radiance of clarity
envelopes the sainted
by holy light revealing
illuminating the wondrous
showing pure the way
of fundamental healing

voids of spirit
marked and remembered
are besought in the leaving time
at the crossing over
to the dream
of hard justice
for brutal crime

seeking rebirth
on the morrow

washed clean
in the water’s sorrow

I am here
but for only you
until all that remains
are the tormentor’s brittled bones

those who meant you menace
who meant you harm
those who terrorized this land
now sanctified by lethal penance
inflicted by your righteous hand
so
on this glorious night
disarm

devour my word complete
in validation of my path
in supplication to the way of light
consummation of my holy fate

walk with me contrite in prayer
fragile forgiven heathens
head bowed seeking bless’ed mercy
through eternity’s innocence gate

*
rob kistner © 2023

More Poetry at: The Sunday Muse

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