Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Inherited Delusion

Inherited delusion,
Children mindlessly duking it out in front of me.
Parent's delusion animating a circular conversation....
spoken with tears and fists.
 
What an ugly fight,
But somewhere there is light
And maybe there is fertile soil
Surviving all that dark oil.
 
The father lost his fight.
He wandered away in defeat
and sleeps in an unmarked grave.
 
The Mother lost her fight.
She drowned her pain in poppy oil and alcohol
and now she sleeps alone.
 
But their ghosts possess their children in the night!
 
Somewhere there is light
Some kind of flower is growing in the night.
Ready to warm the day.
 
Who would think that you can beat someone you love?
Or label them with poison and save them?
But a person possessed?
 
Monkey see, monkey say,
our children do what they saw their parents play
And these sad children are acting that way.
Echoing parents, grandparents, present and ancient wars.
And a sad reenactment of hate.
 
Break that spell
Let's talk about our feelings
Without ever saying an unkind word
Or touching without permission.
Let's do what our parents couldn't do
And help these ghosts step into the light.
 
Christopher H. Holte, 8/16/2016

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