In you my dreams teetered
on the edge of the wind
like a fledgling stretching
pinions virgin to use.
In you my hopes nurtured
at the breast of promise.
In you my faith resisted sacrifice
on the alter of fear.
In you my heart drank
at the well head of emotion
like a water-starved fawn
finding moisture in a shaded dell.
In you all things were possible.
In you my soul foundered
tasting the kiss of betrayal.
In you I learned despair.
This was originally a 'heartbreak' poem. Over time I came to understand that it can also be an expression of failed leadership. Consider the headlines that reflect fallen religious leaders, politicians and any of the myriad heroes we prop up on pedestals, only to be disappointed by their behaviour.
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Wow, the last line is heartbreaking. It really grips me. Though my favorite line is:
ReplyDeleteIn you my faith resisted sacrifice
on the alter of fear.
I know that feeling well. This poem felt authentic to me
i love this poem...
ReplyDeleteespecially this :
In you my soul foundered
tasting the kiss of betrayal.
Nice to find your blog through National Poetry month. In You is wonderful as a heartbreak poem, as Sara says, but it also works beautifully as a Lenten meditation for someone who has lost their faith. Or as the voice of Judas, expressing the failure of Jesus to live up to the traditional expectations of a Messiah, in which case 'tasting the kiss of betrayal' takes on further very poignant meaning. I could go on but I won't. It really is well done.
ReplyDeleteI think that the disappointment one feels when their leadership, whether it be a government leader, supervisor at work, or religious official, can definitely be its own kind of heartbreak. Maybe not the same kind we feel when betrayed by a lover, but just as powerful and painful.
ReplyDeleteLovely piece..
ReplyDelete