The biggest fear has always been that fallen once, I could not rise again
That should I slip upon the stone, helpless held, down pressed – Alone There would be nothing - except nothingness and taste of pain. I strove to rise with mighty leap, above the highest in the heap Struggling fiercely through the tide In which those weaker slipped and died Dropping to nothing - except nothingness Death's frightful reign. It came of course, the thing despised, against a thing by men devised Pulled down and smashed against the curb All my taste knowing bitter herb I expected nothing - except nothingness All hope in vain. But when I fell. to my surprise, I saw a look in one man's eyes His hands outstretched to pull me up A tender mercy, outstretched cup In the midst of nothing - except nothingness Gift of Cain. Why? I asked, in awful awe, knowing the death in Nature's law Should you risk the spot you've won? To pull me up toward bright day's sun Out of the nothing - awful nothingness In which I've lain. Before I could heard his soft reply, he was pulled from his place and brought to lie Tattered and marked, covered with mud Against the curb that had known my blood Seeming to be nothing - except nothingness of men's disdain. I leaped once more toward the sun, higher than I’d ever done Remembering the eyes of the man who fell Toward rotten stone and dark alone hell I found nothing - except the nothingness of lonely pain. Now something beckoned me even more, than the highest leap ever known before I needed to lift the man below, to see his eyes and have him know It wasn't the highest leap above and alone that was the greatest good I'd ever known… But his hand outstretched to lift me up, to give me place and share the cup If in lifting him, I should fall toward stone Tattered my flesh and broken my bone It could not be toward nothing - awful nothingness Nothing's when you're Alone.
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AuthorOpaline Marks is the pen name of Opal Markiewicz, a writer of novels, short stories and nonfiction essays. Archives
September 2006
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