Epiphany

I went through a period of time just like any other writer in which I was dry of inspiration--"parched with lack of wishes, as I say in this poem. I finally came to writing this.

3 A.M.

My eyes were rubber bands held taut,

Prisoners of clammy fingers,

Always secure-never released.

My heartbeat

quickened its pace

as the seconds won their third race-

400 meters-

they nailed it.

My poem flowed, but slowly. Words

filtered in my brain, surely.

Fixated on the rain outside the window pane,

I watched it lick the dry pavement,

Parched with lack of wishes.

A hoodlum crouched near the steps of the living room and it was

quiet.

I ceased to speak

And the windows we installed last week

Blocked out all sounds:

Night birds chirping,

And rain whispering,

A dog barking.

Something lifted, and I wasn't sure

Whether it was my soul or something more.

Perhaps a bottle cap or coin,

The hearts of those whose hands adjoin.

Oblivious, I fell asleep.

All the secrets I promised to keep

I let go.

I told everyone I knew.

The aunt in a wheelchair in a dimly lit living room,

The boy who suffered Humiliation wounds

The child--poor child, a gun to his head.

I told all of these people instead.

Loud

boots against a decaying vine--

Mutters, gasps, the stench so real,

Plastic body bags could not seal

my chatter,

I may have reminded you of the Mad Hatter

With my powdery face,

My frizzy hair,

My blood-red lips,

My rhyme, and my smile.

At least I matched

Beat

to Word,

Screamed loud enough so I was heard,

Jumped and caught that Dream Deferred.

At least

I crafted my own destiny

Spoke in paradoxical irony

Defied all authority

(A crimson-stained transparency)--

At least I can say I finally

Released

my own epiphany,

One epiphany among a multitude of epiphanies,

One realization after the next,

And I could choose which one was best.

This one. The one that came to me

At 3 A.M. when I thought the world was asleep.

Asleep, asleep, asleep.

I wake, and for once

I can laugh in Her face and say that I've won.

Author's Note

I worked really hard on this, and I would truly appreciate any feedback to make this better. I have a lot of hope with this one, so please help!