X's No O's
Let love be your means of sight
“My ego never let me see so you saw for me
Man’s patience with my incompetence ran out but yours was boundless
Like you were meant for me but I wasn’t meant for you.”-Unknown
Nobody knew but you, what I was going through.
My story, past yet permanent, but you I deemed replaceable.
You were aware and made sure I didn’t make that mistake.
They stretched their hands to help the blind.
I pictured them in white garments and skins as smooth as fine wood.
I thought maybe If I touched the robes they wore, I would gain sight.
“You need a drink”, you whispered as I reached out towards them.
I would retreat when I heard this and turn to the direction of your voice hoping to get a drink but I got nothing.
Perplexed as I was, you offered no explanations.
Like I was supposed to know the answers to the questions in my head
However, instead of deciphering, I would rather avoid the problem and make more.
I would spit towards your direction and call you names.
Yet, we walked this endless earth together.
Again we met them on the way, this time I heard their voices.
As soothing as I imagined and again I reached out.
“You need a drink”
And again I retreated but you still didn’t offer me a drink.
I would beat you with the stick I used to help me walk.
Calling you more names and wishing you gone.
I had always deemed myself victim to the misfortunes of the world.
It was like I was entitled to pity.
Compassion was the reward for mother nature’s crimes against me.
And your kindness and softness was only seen as a luxury I deserved.
So again we would walk this boundless earth once more.
Our journey yielded no surprise as once again they were there.
But as I reached out to them, I didn’t hear your voice.
I redirected my hands to my right, where you would always whisper from.
You weren’t there. You were gone.
“I need a drink”, I shouted but no one answered
“I need a drink” I yelled once more.
I collapsed. Helpless with tears streaming down my cheeks.
That was the answer. The difference between the two sentences.
You and I.
As I lay my head and start to regret.
A voice more soothing than any of the other helpers I had encountered came from in front of me.
“Have a drink”
As I drank what tasted like your tears, salty and sour, my eyes opened.
I saw for the first time, the white garments and smooth brown skin I had always imagined.
You had it on the whole time.
That’s why you whispered every time I reached out to them.
My ego never let me see so you saw for me
Man’s patience with my incompetence ran out but yours was boundless
Like you were meant for me but I wasn’t meant for you
(2016)
"It's easy to do nothing, it's hard to forgive"
