TWO LANTERNS.

two dim lanterns

swaying so in the rain,

clutched -- white knuckle -- by you and i

to splice the dark into something familiar.

i look to the stars

and see shimmer and shine,

i see flowers in fields

that are yet to be mine.

you raise flame to the road,

and see bramble and bruising.

you see loathing, self-separation,

and an idol i once knew.

my lantern guides me forwards,

your lantern guides you same,

but the path ahead comes forked

and a destination irreconcilable.

and i shall say "oh my mother!

come this way, see the sun?

lets bask in love and entwine delight

around hearts of divine embrace!"

and you shall say "no daughter, no!

i see fire and brimstone and oil!

i cannot walk this path you see

this one is real ; this one, not yours!"

and you shall run

with lantern dim,

into rain and road untrue ;

for you'd rather leave

and say i did ;

then to ever admit

your mind did lie. 

Reviews

[Samuel Dickens]

I suspect there may be some truth in this one. Of course we don't want to be like our parents and follow their road. I was like that when young, but now am old, and see through different eyes. Many things once rejected are now accepted. I'd like to think I've become wiser, but who's to say? So we do what we do, and perhaps God will be with us.

[Lorry]

We all must choose our own paths, lest we live in the shadow of another.
Even family must diverge in paths taken, to make the journey our own, buy sometimes fate brings us back together in the end and we find out how similar our different journeys were.
Very nicely captured.

[carl]

What a deep and engaging piece - so full of emotion and desire - outstanding metaphor usage the images reach right inside and get a hold on your heart- especially the tragedy of the 5th and 6th stanzas- really well done- carl