Monday, November 17, 2008

Bleeding Hearts

"Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long
Beneath the angel-strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong
And men at war with men hear not
The love-song which they bring
O hush the noise ye men of stife
And hear the angels sing"-It came upon a midnight clear (Richard S. Wilis)

Warning: This is a graphic poem...a glimpse of why life here is sometimes painful...I am not trying to traumatize you all..i just think you have the right to know

He had a baseball cap
A young father holds his tiny son
In the midddle of a crowded sidewalk
As cars zoom past
The tiny forehead touches the rim of the baseball cap
And they are almost nose to nose

Images flash through my mind
And some are painful and some are beautiful and
all are so vivid they make me want to cry

I was never there when it happened
I just heard the sounds of a documentary
Trying to shut it out with my book
A heavy base drum in the distance
A rap that makes me want to get low
And they are shooting to the sound of the rap
And I read the same sentence over and over and over

Images flash through my mind like a slide show
vivid
blinding eyes with tears
And bleeding hearts scream in the silence

The children's eyes roll back in their heads
A soldier, A needle, A rush
And suddenly they are immortal
And shoot to the sweet beat of rap
Mindless games

I am not thin enough
Definitition of beauty
The dizzying smell of
Red toenail polish
Three layers
Darker Darker Darker red

Swollen stomachs and outstretched arms
The children greet us
I have a headache
Eyes behind my hands
A stranger lying in the street
Skin and bones
Like the elephant we tiptoe around
In denial of pandora's open box
And in their eyes all I see is dark red

A black general stands before us all
Talking about children sacrifices
Flesh and bones in pieces
Like shattered glass in the dusty road
Like my heart
Children soldiers eating children's hearts

Blinding eyes with tears
Now he is white like snow
Dark red Crossed out by a God and 4 nails

And I sit in the taxi
Feeling the sweet rap beat
And the bleeding hearts growing on the rubble
And feeling helpless because
My heart is bleeding too

A father holds his tiny child
As the world moves around them
And their eyes meet
Innocence reaches to touch the red pain with its tiny hand
And hope is born

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

thank you
Too often do I forget what pain this world is in. REAL PEOPLE are in pain. Children of God are in pain. Thank you for the reminder to never stop praying, to never stop trying to make a difference. Love and prayers, Mackenzie

Anonymous said...

Corina,
It's cold and snowy here and its been good to have you mom and dad back as it was too quiet across the street. A joy for us has been getting to know your grandmother. We enjoyed reading your post and seeing the pictures you include. They are so happy, why do you think joy comes so easily ? Do we miss joy like that because we are too busy ?

What are your plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas while in Liberia ?

Hope this finds you doing well. Blessing and peace, Kathleen

Anonymous said...

Hey Rene, its your old dad here. Just wanted to let you know that I am thinking of you. I have a lot to be thankful for this holiday season and you are one of them. While we continues to miss you, I am so glad that you are having this experience. Thank you for the reminders of what it is like in the rest of the world. I appreciate Mackenzie's comment.
Love, Dad

Mom said...

I'm glad you're writing your thoughts out in prose. The pain you see daily surely deserves more than a passing thought. - Mom