A Purposeful Path, Paved From A Painful Past Poem by Maurice Harris

Where my vision is usually crystal clear, now, it is now blurry;
Where my mind is usually rational, now, it is overcome with worry;
My life is usually rife with loved ones and friends, -
But, where are they now! ? Well, that really depends
Upon who does the asking! They are nowhere to be found-
When I finally pay this place riddance, will they be around! ?
I know that they love me, and could use them right now-
They must hear my prayers, yet I know not quite how
They are supposed to react-naught that they could do or say
Could make the pain I now feel, fade or go away!

Here, there is no ration and not very much reason-
There is only chaos and my heart's treason;
I have confronted ignorance and intolerance all alone,
Which would have broken most-and have shown
Both myself and others, intelligence and measured fortitude
In response to most pointed threats, and comments most lewd.
No matter what these Neaderthals do or say,
My response is the same, and will remain that way;
I see no reason to engage them in any sort of debate-
There is no way to defeat their vitriol and hate,
Except to ignore them, wholly and completely-
I refuse to allow a bully to ever defeat me
With words which have no basis at all, in fact.
No matter how many times I may be verbally attacked,
There will still be no truth in anything they say;
I only want leave of this place, and naught will stand in my way!

My loved ones and friends, methinks, would be most proud:
Amongst the chaos and violence, I have never allowed
Myself to drawn into the belly of the beast.
Their targeted attacks bother me, not in the least.
There are really only two ways here that you can go,
Either you assimilate to the anarchy, or you can grow
From the wretched experience, both in heart and mind.
I chose the latter: to begin to put behind
All the heartache and embitterment it has brought;
To continue to search for the greater purpose I have sought
Since the wretched day this unimaginable nightmare all started.
I seek still, the Daughter, from which I was forcefully parted,
As well as her Sister, whose absence I lament equally-
And to map out a future, I still hope will be
One where I may make both of them proud:
To be for them, the Father I have avowed
I would be-not one who is never there;
To be a loving Father, not one who appears to never care.
This is most certainly not a course for the faint of heart-
And the road is too long to view it all-but, I have a start!

-Maurice Harris,23 April 2011