Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Swallowed by the Darkness



Clumps of grey cloud scudded across a metallic sky
In the west, ribbons of brilliant pink and orange slashed the sky like fire
I walked towards a faint light in the sky where the moon tried to escape
An encroaching embrace of dark clouds
Only to be finally swallowed by the darkness

My breath came in strangled gasps as I tried to increase my pace
But something -- weeds in the overgrown yard perhaps
Seemed to grab at my feet and ankles
Bare feet, cold in the grey mud
Leeches dropping from the chartreuse canopy to slither down my neck
And puncture my pulsating arteries

I paused at the steps, staring up at the grey shamble of a porch
The front screen door swung wildly in the wind
Banging and screeching like some trapped beast
On the Eastern Front, gigantic elk stood
Silhouetted against artillery flashes
I ran at them swinging my scythe at their obscene racks

Struggling up the steps
I reached out to stop the screen crashing
Ragged edges of screen tore the skin from my hand
And I watched as swollen blue veins on the top of my hand
Spurted fresh, red blood, along my forearm
So much blood
The steely smell of it
Its thick, gooey feel

My heart slammed against my chest
And great gouts of sweat burned my eyes
I knew I would go in there
And I did
And there I am
Swallowed by the darkness

Thursday, October 7, 2010

All is Vanity


Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.

I said in my heart with regard to the children of man that God is testing them that they may see that they themselves are but beasts. For what happens to the children of man and what happens to the beasts is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and man has no advantage over the beasts, for all is vanity. All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return.

Who knows whether the spirit of man goes upward and the spirit of the beast goes down into the earth? So I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his work, for that is his lot. Who can bring him to see what will be after him?