lost my faith
and only ever
found
two sides of a coin
not to settle for anything
but the best
I deserve nothing
for atonement
I pray for
Hope
but
I’ve failed to find
—loss—
I pay
a heavy price
to the altar
I must carry
all my faults
and sins
baggage far too heavy
for only one person
but here we are
my feet are so tired
bleeding in my shoes
it will never be
enough
this penance
and
my choice
picked the finish for me
no one else
to lie here with
that knowledge—
it’s quite a lot to carry
About the Creator
Merrie Sanders
Writing for fun and as an escape from the everyday. After all, what is life for if not to create?
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More stories from Merrie Sanders and writers in Poets and other communities.
Spectating
I can't imagine dying like this, in a place like this; on a cold, dirty pavement with rush hour traffic screaming by and a crowd looking on while paramedics struggle to find space to move. Who could? Deep down we all think there should be a reason, a moment of clarity... or a family presence, at least. For this man, this boy, the rail thin woman lighting a cigarette in a faux fur jacket will have to do - she's been here since the start, her eyes tracking the movement of my shoulders as we fight to keep him on the right side of the line.
By S. A. Crawford4 days ago in Fiction
Comments (2)
I like the opening and closing lines Merrie, and this feels like someone trying to make up for sins or mistakes in the first reading, but a bit more hopeful in the second? “ a heavy price to the altar I must carry” is a powerful line too.
This was so poignant and reads so well both ways! Loved your poem!