A Life Undone Poem by Steve Santerre

Candour! I speak with an honest voice
Not of doubt or of lies I wish to tell
But of a kind of truth I know so dear
It beckons me; it pushes me, and now I seek,
Seek I say, its place and time, its origin I know not of
Seek, I will find.

Gallant man, a friend from past joys, wish you to join?
The journey, I say, will be long; will be hard I promise you
A life lived by the pond, as yours is, will not get you far
Small fish you catch, that is all, but son, the world is a big fish.
A catch of triumph, a Whale or a Shark, are neither as glorious
As the prize our journey will reward us with

Before we embark, promise me,
To always be true to my demands
Do as I say, as danger lurks, far and about,
Trust in me.

No worries, you are a friend, I am a sheep to my Shepherd
Your wishes, all I will follow, to the end, the end I say.

Now it’s settled, I will share, listen carefully, please be fair.
How came I to see it? As I speak, words cannot define it,
No, words know only of shapes and sounds, but this, this force,
It is a mystery, a secret that spares no one, its power so unyielding.
It traps, it seizes, it is the light, and it is the dark.

But goodness friend, why so vague? Deserve I to know, to know what it knows?

Of course, fellow, its power beckons for you now, and seek its wisdom, to the end I say
I came to you, and travel and converse we did, but now, judgement is to be met
Your fate, young man, of pity, your innocence, oh naïve you are
To believe in ones words with open arms, to trust,
The prize, death, the final step, the gift forgotten
The hill over the sea, I say jump, jump fearlessly into its warmth
Jump, and rewards you will obtain, eternal happiness, I promise you!

Who speak these words? You are not a friend, but a liar, a fraud I say!
You came to me, with a story, its sum a mere fabrication, oh why did I believe?
Promises, I must follow. Obey demands, relinquish my will
To the bottom I will jump to nothing.
The storm of waves, the torment of nature
From pond to sea, a sunken tide, a life undone