These Paths That Lead

Kind of how I feel life is going. Nothing here means much and I feel like leaving is my only chance to be something.

So I’m going to walk alone

And I want you to know

That no matter how my heels bleed

It’s the path to nowhere

I understand I need to take

 

St. Jude you are no longer encumbered

By the prayers of those who think themselves

Lost causes

I promise you, every one of them

Kisses my cheek before they fall to their knees before you.

 

So I’m a little broken

But find ways to explain that

As beautiful

These scars and scraped knees

Are from battles this life

Has thrown at me with curved fists

 

So, sure, the highway is twisting

You cannot see the destination

But I consider myself a traveler

And know the most important journeys

Are the ones you take alone

 

Along the way I’ll stop often

I’ll smell the flowers budding in spring

My feet will dance with others

And I can’t promise I’ll go with Godspeed

 

I have to say I’ll be slow

Turning over rocks to soothe my curiosity

At how the smallest animal

On the smallest branch of moss

Cowering under the limestone on the side

Of this unwalked path

 

How such a thing fits into

The vast stretches of ocean

Forming a jigsaw puzzle with our land

And falling into the orbit of a bigger pull

Lost in an even larger pool of black

Broken only by the stars

Which, like your words, are the only light

 

So I’m sure I’ll change

But it’s what I have to do

If I ever intend to run back to you

 

So my eyes will see your boundaries

Or possibly burn them all down

And I’ll come back screaming to

Remember, my sweet, that most of these

Things just have to be lies

 

So your sweating fingers

Must let go of mine

Release me to this fate

Because, Mother, now

Is do or die

 

Gently, now I start to walk

I see the lines obscured by

Dreams falling ahead of me

The trees above are gilded with words

I might just need to pick

 

A final glance back

And you’re not crying

Which is all good and fine

Because I’m not either

 

I once was told to never fear

The inevitable

So why, my dear, when it caresses my skin

Should I let tears fall

With the realization that it has nails

Like diamonds.

Author's Note

Share your honest opinion and thank you for your time!

Reviews

This is really pretty.
And the most important journeys are the ones you take alone(:
love that line. your perfect

[The old me]

truely amazing.

[Ben Taylor]

Wow..this is kind of amazing.
Yes, I got a bit lost because of the lack of punctuation at times, but this was beautifully done.
You have turned an emotion into a vivid image.
"With the realization that it has nails
Like diamonds."
Wonderful ending lines.

[i.am.the.sun.]

"Lost in an even larger pool of black
Broken only by the stars
Which, like your words, are the only light"
definitely my favorite lines :) i don't usually use punctuation either but i found when i started reading this it really made it hard to find the pace. eventually just reading as if it were prose helped, but then the form made me wonder... beautiful write here, something i could read over and over again even though it's more of a snapshot rather than an unfolding story. one of the best examples of describing something that you can only feel that i've ever seen...

[fatalsymphonies]

The last stanza is by far the most emotional, or at least in my eyes. I really liked the line, "Turning over rocks to smooth my curiosity". it put a very pretty visual in my head. I like the way you write. A lot. the indifference in this poem is delicately transformed to an understanding at the end. Its like you wrote this after your decisions have been made, you're merely telling your ideas.

[BeatricePortinari.]

not as much as i love you.

[Hope]

i love you

[BeatricePortinari.]

... and here i was thinking i'd quit.

[Hope]

Em.
You know how you're always saying, "WELL I GUESS YOU'RE SUPERIOR TO ME!" ? Well yeah, you're clearly superior to me. This is amazing.

Keep writing boo