Yesteryear

Yesteryear I was a child,

Far from being meek and mild.

Surrounded by waves of a tumultuous storm

I rode along wondering why I was born.

Filled with anger, joy and wonder

I marveled at the spell I seemed to be under.

Nothing was what it seemed to be

There was more to life than what I could see.

Misunderstood visions seen as the devils work

Confined a soul in a pool of murk.

Jealousy and hatred spawned an unsettled score

For two left with an every widening sore.

Blame the maker everyone would agree

It was she who could have saved us from such misery.

I say hold on tight to your selfish cause

And one day you will be left to pause.

For at the end of your journey you will see

It was you who decided how your life would be.

It’s easy to hold on to the pain of yesteryears long gone.

Being swept up in the storm of all that went wrong

It was hard to consider the pain she felt

The pain that caused such pain to be dealt.

To understand that pain begets pain

Is how one learns how to break the chain.

I took what I wish I had received

And gave to another all I believed.

His life filled with knowing no one was above

My complete adoration and undying love.

Doing so helped calm those tumultuous storms

That brewed within me taking various forms.

The sadness, the anger, the overwhelming despair

No longer held importance for me to care

Enough to let those things weigh me down

For in life I achieved the richest crown.

To love and be loved unconditionally

Is the greatest gift of all – at least it is for me.

A. L. Spradling

8/16/06