Through the dark tunnel

I'm crawling through a dark tunnel
with impenetrable walls.
It's dark in here and silent too,
except the breathing that I must do.

But, do I want to emerge into the light
for the tunnel is long and there's no end in sight?

The journey seems endless and yet the silence quite golden,
But I know I must sometime emerge and seem quite unbroken,
but without the mask that I don for others,
I’m not too sure that I won’t smother,
Beneath the armor I must portray,
And carry upon my back each day.

I hear the scratching of thoughts frantically running through my mind,
like rats when the corncrib they find.

My mask I forgot and left behind
so when I emerge I must seem refined,
just as a piece of coal pressed upon for decades
will emerge a diamond in the ruff,
I must find a way to jade the way I’m really feeling
And that will be beyond tough,
Especially without the cover of my cloak quite concealing.

So creeping ever onward I creep through the shadowed shaft,
And feel the stones pressing deep into my back,
Scarring my knees as I creep and crawl onward,
Scratching my exposed skin like a sharpened sword,
Ever I inch forward; toward the direction I know the trail must end,
And tomorrow I’ll start all over again.

Never giving up , never giving in, I must remain vigilant and keep in mind,
That if I never seek solace, it is something I’ll never find,
So keeping the pace I’ll eventually emerge from the pitch and confinement
And with hope and FAITH I’ll achieve realignment.
But for now I think I’ll just sit a bit,
And reflect in the borrow deep beneath,
Taking the time and advantage to sheath
My thoughts and myself a wee bit longer,
For hopefully soon I’ll get stronger.
And I’ll then peek out,
And see the blessings and beauty,
Breath in the fresh air,
Feel the wind in my hair,
And KNOW,
That through the stillness
Faith has grown.
Ctrygirl 6 17 09
(pic from our beautiful appalachian/allegheny area near midnight)