The Third Poem by Estefano Molina

Midway upon my life's journey
'I found myself deep
In a forest dark',
And though I yearn to follow,
Her pathway I hope to cross once more,
Just once more.
For I have lost my way,
And go directly towards the known.
Only to be taunted by the past
As I descend into the pit.
My home.

As we traversed this path
She lit the way.
She showed me life
And taught me love
I had it all,
The fragrance of her hair,
Her delicate touch,
The mouth that soothed my misery,
And the eyes that read the library of my mind,
And through those eyes
Gave me a glimpse of the paradise above,
The mother of my child,
She gave me the gift of purpose.
Safe from harm was I,
As she triumphed over my demons.
For they knew her strength.
They trembled in her presence.
Pleaded for mercy.
And I sold it all,
The whole world,
Everything.
For nothing.

I have lost my Virgil,
My guardian and protector.
And without Virgil,
Dante would remain in the Inferno.
A prisoner, waiting to perish.
A slow agonizing death.
I blindly tread down my path to damnation,
With knowledge of what awaits me.
With no guide,
What is the purpose to keep going?
But not I.
My punishment is due.
I have somewhere to be.
I crawl and stumble
But I must get there.
There in my sight.
Behold!
I tremble upon those gates.
All hope abandoned there.
All will collapse at the feet of the fateful entrance.
I submerge within this stench.
Where fowl corpses rot
And still moan in pain.
For I have been here before.
The diabolical figures embrace me,
Feeding from my wicked soul.
Speaking in tongues
Controlling me.
And as this abyss takes hold of me,
I lose my grasp on humanity,
And become one of them.
I know there is a circle
Or a bolgia of which I belong to.
For my crimes here,
The path leads me there.
To my destination.
To my fate.
Written before time.
They have finally learned of her absence.
They fear me no longer.
They mock me,
With grinning teeth,
Drooling for my flesh.
Fighting for the first bite.
Impatiently barking.
Jumping over each other.
They await my arrival.
They knew I would return.
And I feel nothing any longer.
I' am numb.
No fear or dread.
No self-pity or sadness.
No anger.
Hopeless.
I'm empty.
There is nothing within.
Resistance is futile.
I let them take me.
I belong here.
For they are my eternal companions.
Tireless tormentors.
Eternal demise.

Our paths have ran astray
And from down below,
Her memory stays.
They will not take her from me.
I'll die a thousand deaths,
To keep her name alive.
And she would do the same for me.
No matter the distance of our paths.
And from my fowl hole
I wish her path stay brightly lit
With friends and family
When the path gets dark,
To push her when path gets steep,
Give her warmth when her skin is cold,
Dry her eyes when she loses sight,
make her smile when the journey seems long
and overall
Loyal company to enjoy the path ahead.
I only wish because
Hope does not exist here.
My hope escaped me
When I crossed the gates.
They say miracles can free
A damned soul from the shackles and chains.
But only to those who deserve them.
Cleansing themselves on Mount Purgatory.
I'll make myself comfortable here.
For my path has turned to ruble.

Her path paved in gold.
Love will find her path,
For by some miracle she found me
Deep in the forest dark,
Lost within the falling leafs.
And I without fear
Took her hand,
And let her courage lead me
Towards the celestial spheres
High in the Heavens.
My Virgil and Beatrice
My guardian and protector
My love and my miracle.
An alchemist's dream.
Like turning lead into gold.
Water into wine.
Footsteps on water.
Light upon my path.