Empire Builder Poem by Richard Harkey

It's a simple story

it's been often told

about " A woman in trouble"

who has been bought and sold.

She sits on a bed

in the room of a big hotel

in a cold polish town

in her own personal hell.

A sinner who's sinned

and humanly erred

she has been stripped

her soul lies bare.

She stares at the TV

eyes filled with tears

perhaps the only place to go

to escape the regrets and fears.

There's a new world there

an empire to be built

To rise above the landscape

to bury all the guilt.

An empire so strong

it will completely destroy

the place that went before

which is bereft of any joy.

A place that was built

On misguided decisions and regretful deeds

On uncontrollable desire

and unmet needs.

-

A pretty young lady

underneath a big palm tree

confident and hopeful

she's a star to be.

A future so bright

unburdened and free

her dreams in sight

to be who she wants to be.

A celluloid dream

A desert delight

She lights up the valley

and the world at night.

But:

The old Gypsy woman

Wont let her run

She knows what she is

and the things she has done.

She stares at her

with obvious contempt

her machinations

something to resent.

Action! the director yells

and she speaks the words

but as she reads the lines

something is stirred.

Because it all seems familiar

something she's heard before

echoes of an existence

on a distant shore.

Fantasy and reality

now juxtaposed

something buried deep

is becoming exposed.

The worlds will collide

and something has to give

one of them will die

and the other will live.

Because reality never relents

it overcomes all

the artifice will fail

the edifice will fall.

The heart will be open

the fantasy will end

reconciliation and forgiveness

will begin to flow in.

Empires do rise

and eventually they fall

sometimes it's inexplicable

but there's always a cause.

Actions have consequences

nobodies innocent here

but yet there is hope

amidst all the fear.

Conflict and resolution

problem and solution

it's a torturous path

but there is an evolution.

Thesis and antithesis

the dialectical path

but something new is created

it's very simple math.

This story is challenging

has been since it's inception

but ultimately in the end

it's a story of redemption.