Beyond the hills, beyond the town
Beyond that point where sea and sky
Form that perfect seam of horizon
I hope there is a place of no consciousness
Or conscience
Where right and wrong and good and bad
Are but labels from a time that was

I dare to go there


To lay my noisy head upon the quiet pillow
of non-existance
My aching chest will be rent open
By the barbeque which goes beyond
Rare and well done
Or consumed by that which lives
Beneath the path I tread in this other journey
Called life

I dare to go there


Though we have many faces, many temperaments
We are one
An embodiment of good and evil
Ecstasy and sadness
Strangers to ourselves
Our lives are flowing on the river of time
Towards its destination of total oblivion

I dare to go there


I look not for a sweeter place
My mind creates not for itself a faith
That takes it beyond pearly gates to rest
I would go to join the breath of my father
Far away where I could do no harm
And I would have no consciousness
Of hurt or hurting

I need to go there


What's done cannot be undone
Those hurt will always bear the scars
Black cannot become white
Wrong right, or memories be forgotten
No talk can justify wrong actions or words
Injustice is something we're taught
To fight against
Shall not the unjust be punished?

Do I deserve to go there?


The few who really care
Do not deserve the anguish.
My departure to this place beyond all places
Would release me from my own conscience
From this rift between right and wrong
But wouldn't it just be a act of cowardice
Block of all blocks

Do I deserve to go there?


My body crawls around itself
It squirms
I play host to extremes of good and evil
I'd like to call a meeting with myself
I'd like to be able to erase hurt
From the memories of others

I teeter on the brink




copyright 2002 Anne Turner-Howe

11/29/2002