No Longer Innocent And Young

“All great and precious things are lonely.” ― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

a choir of angels in feathered robes

the birds wake me

like they do every morning

as i ready to roll uphill my boulder that started out as a mere rock

at least i don't need an alarm clock

time having long since become lame

i know each blade of grass by name

even though they're all the same

i also know nakedness' shame

as i wonder if adam and eve are really the ones to blame

off in the near distance the river gurgles past with white noise

the humid breath of god sighing

a tributary of truth wearily flowing with tears

like its done since the beginning of time

trees dot the landscape

some standing tall and proud

others bending down, needing and bleeding

unconsciously reseeding

loneliness has its sleeves rolled up

flaunting its tattoos 

the sun finds its way through the clouds

kissing me

because no one else will

licking me with its arid tongue

reminding me that i'm

no longer innocent and young

Author's Note

"If he had been a young man, he would probably have thrown away his apples and put on his shoes when he saw me coming, for shame. But old age is manlier; it has learned to live, makes fewer apologies, like infancy." - Thoreau

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

Well, a lot of us are no longer innocent and young. And maybe we're bending down, needing and bleeding, unconsciously reseeding ( or maybe receding). However, if we've played our cards right, we're no longer caught in the morning rush hour, but kicked back with that second cup of coffee, wondering what another leisurely day will bring us. It could be worse.

[Pete]

thanks for the share j. misery does seem to love company. the things that we find to fill in the emptiness never cease to amaze me. i wish i could invent glasses that give us hindsight when we wear them or at least allow us to see the truth ... :)

p.s. i wonder what herodias did with john the baptist's head and what she got out of it ... :)