The Sanctuary

The little rose bloomed
graceful and beautiful
the petals spread
soaking in the glorious rays of the
sun

the thorns it kept from growing
it wanted no hindrance
to beauty
yet the darkness overcame it like
a thunderstorm held back for
centuries

the petals wilted and fell
it shriveled and shrank
and the thorns oversaw its death
and laughed
and the petals heard, and sank their shafts
into the dirt, creating
a field of glorious beauty
of protection

but the thorns were too strong

my little flower, you are gone
why did you have to die?
you were blooming in my
heart
keeping me alive

yet the thorns are piercing me, too
they want me separated
from the one thing I want to
keep
close to my breast

yet now, I see the thorns giving way
I'm fading, fading, everything is
white
everything more glorious
than before
the thorns are no longer sharp
and they stroke my face
gently

they speak to me
they rip open new possibilities
from the dark sky above
me
I see it now
there are two lights
in the heavens

I must choose
yet they are both bright
both beckon
and now, they fight
and light clashes with light
the thorns shrivel and the
petals turn to ash
the memory gone

yet both lights blind me
I stumble toward them
hold my hand out
I want to be helped
I cannot stand
yet I know both lights see me
both reach for me
one wraps around my left hand,
the other around my
right

they are tugging
pulling
beckoning
where should I go?
I don't know!
I scream in pain

my little flower still
lives in me
and it's being torn again in two
if it breaks, it will fall to
earth
and be covered
yet it does
and I can't find the pieces in the
dust
the only thing I find
as I am pulled in two directions
was a tiny glass ball
I struggle to pull my hands free

I must protect it
it's my sanctuary
it can't break, it's the center
of my flower
my rose

I cry aloud
where do I go?
light flashes, thunder rolls, wind blows
I'm being torn apart
the little sanctuary keeps me held
together...

one...
not two...
one...

there is only one place
I can find peace
my little sanctuary will lead me
it glows
and the lights fade
and I can see again
but I am still crippled, disabled
I must hold on...
carry on...

little Sanctuary, lead me
you know the Way, you have the Light
show the path to choose
and lead me

until I know my
Destiny.