A Gentle Touch Of Life Poem by Joshua Bantum

For pain, there will always be enough
how have we ignored it for so long?

Time has treated us like the sun has withered the garden
all at a different pace
all in different ways
how have we ignored it for so long?

I left joy in my pocket but it had a hole in it
now pennies and strips of fate are left
how have we ignored it for so long?

I was suppose to be happy, weren't we
didn't the books all finish this way
and the sad songs all wait for the G chord
how have we ignored it for so long?

The clouds are there
staining the sun struck sky
lightening begins tapping the earth like a great piano
and I feel the rain spit in my face
'wake up' it says
'ignore us no longer,
eat what you have made in your dreams
and let the nightmares pour out into the world'

I can feel the clay pots drop from sore hands.
'was it blood or paint which covered the children? '
I hope to not figure out
but we all will, and we will all never forget.

I suppose this is my gentle touch of life
how odd
it seems to be so dark, but I feel not dark inside my skin.

Good night morning, good night seekers of light, good night wanderers of darkness.