as long as you follow

watch in silence
don't tell the dark secrets
the winter wind cries more frozen tears
than all the sad children
hastened too quickly from
a time of laughter and innocence

watch in silence as I walk this path of solitude
heavily, secrets grow, as the years mark me also
I sometimes drown in my sea of heartbreak...
where was the springtime joy I should have found?
behind the mask where the weight of time
and years of haste break my feeble back?

watch no more
the silent years of youthful waste,
rather, welcome the other side of summer
the autumn of wisdom --
a time to learn rejoicing
to forget the voiceless introspection
and to speak loudly, at last, for all to hear!

squeeze my hand, gaze into my eyes
my secrets imprison me no longer
watch me give them airborne freedom
for I am no longer alone
this new path leads to freedom and love
...as long as you follow




         as long as you follow
         24 april, 2006
         (24 lines)