Yolanda

You said you were just passing
but you didn’t say you’d be leaving us
with the worst of your nightmares
with the bleakness of your soul.

Hospitality has been our middle name, alright
Even with an unwanted guest who couldn’t be persuaded
to stay away, out of our sight. But you still came –
invited guest or not- and then you robbed us
of our famed grace and of our charm overnight.

Yes, we know fully- we were made to sway and to ride
atop the strongest, most vicious of forces –
good and bad alike – but breaking point is a word
that knows nothing about exemption.

You’ve come, and you’re now gone –
and you left us naked and exposed – to say the least.
You’ve left us crawling, on the verge of death
but the universe took pity, and the warrior angels stirred
and they came to us swiftly – even the ones lying asleep
at the sanctum of the fiercest of beast.

And as we slowly gain back our strength
as our eyes opened and we began looking around –
I’ve seen the double-edged sword you left for us behind.
I was helplessly enthralled and mesmerized
looking at our nakedness reflecting on its blade.

I see clearly – the blood flowing in our veins
the cracks in the joints connecting our bones.

I can’t take away my eyes from the sight
of our exposed DNA – it took my breath away
leaving me fascinated, terrified, wholly consumed
by anguish and grief and hope and gratitude.
Now I am seeing us- our soul exposed.

I don’t know what was harder to deal with
the remnants of your ferocious monstrosity
or to face the exposed reality. It is overwhelming.
It is nauseating – that glaring disconnect
I am clearly seeing- in each of us.

Looks like we were living in a dream
before you arrived. And I don’t know if you came
to destroy us, or if you passed by to awaken us –
to snatch away our blindfolds so we could see
without the fog of complacency.

I don’t know if yours would be
the only force that could awaken us
so we can see why the sun still rises in our mornings –
and that we can finally believe, we’ll never be
left alone, toiling in the dark.

Now we see nothing
but our exposed nakedness
but I still don’t want to find a robe
or to wrap myself in a blanket.
And so should you.

We need to see us- in what we are.
So we can decide on what and how we want
to be and to become.
I know now.

(excerpt)

©11152013leofinajanegalleta

*unedited/first draft.