I made a New Years promise to myself to write four poems a month and post them on Facebook. I forgot to post February’s installment, which actually wound up being one large narrative poem that is nine pages long. I made the decision that nine pages of a narrative poem more than filled the required of four poems per month! It began as the usual four to eight stanza poem but it just kept going until I knew it would be a story that spoke of the journey of life, including the struggles we face both physically and spiritually. At times the struggles in our lives are multilayered, effecting all elements of ourselves; physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. No matter what the struggle, it defines the seasons of our lives. The choices we make in processing those struggles will determine who we are and what we become, magnifying our progression in knowledge and growth.
No matter what your faith practice is, we are all warriors who have to deal with opposition and struggle. Sometimes, those who we think are our dearest friends are the ones who hurt us the most. Other times, those who we least expect will come to us in a time of need. Knowing your heart and filling it with compassion, loving yourself and others, is the best way to truly know one another. When you know your own heart, you are able to discern people, times, and events with clearer perception. Always be aware of the shadows that lurk nearby, for they are like mold; always growing, always seeking. I hope you enjoy The Warrior’s Path, and may the path you are on be one of strength, fortitude, faith, and hope.
The Warrior’s Path
“The Master has watched over you
He has seen you from sprout to fruition
Observing every gaze, move, and thought
Just as he has with others
Yet some have been set apart
Do you remember the promises made before?
Or has the haze of this realm
Diminished the memory of your heart?
Let me tell you a tale of long-ago
When a celestial realm diminished to chaos
Where many fell
Thus all, even those who fought for the Master
Were called to endure tribulation
Before they could return to him
An individual’s choices
Determined their spirit’s well-being
Would they live with the Master again
Or withdraw into darkness?
Your head tilts in wonder as I speak
But I dare not say more
For the tale is still unfolding
Even unto this day
But you, knowing as you grew
You felt this
The answer is in every heart
You came to this realm
With knowledge hidden there
Thus, as you encountered fragments
Of your former home
Upon the wind, in the rivers,
Singing from the mountains
That knowledge murmured within you
Urging you toward something
You could not comprehend
Yet knew intimately
It began when you were young
Mastering the steps from your home
Baby steps into the yard
Advancing toward the fence
When many times
You crossed that boundary
A reaching hand preserved your life
As ignorance and youth betrayed you
At length you conquered
The realm of your youth
The thorny bush beside the pond
The snakes that crept behind you
The bees that chased you
The little girl who smiled at you
The bully who was bigger than you
Yes, you conquered all
And now, a full man grown
You feel worthy to cultivate the path ahead
To conquer what awaits
Yet, you had no idea
That the evil beyond your gate
Was not so obvious as the bully and the bees
Meadows green and plush
In the grassland beyond the mountain
Meadows green and plush
Rushing toward the lake
Like emerald moss
Near the wooded boundary; inviting, serene
Here is the home
Of the serpent and the fairies
Wherein lies the fate of all
For the fairies help some, yet ignore others
In keeping the beast’s dark hunger satiated
He delights in many souls
His appetite knows no bounds
Thus, the fairies favor him to save themselves
How will you win their hearts
And gain passage beyond on the mountain?”
“I am told my smile can win the fairest
And most resistant made in the land”
You answer
“And this logic will cause your fall
Fairies care not for the charm of mankind
Is there aught else you could offer?”
I say to you
“I have my mother’s golden braid belt
It has emeralds and rubies set within.”
I nod silently before answering
“And if they take this ornament
Without giving an increase
What then will you do to gain their trust?”
I watch as you sit silently
Having no strategy coming to mind
Until I breathe a long sigh
“You must have your wits about you
On this journey
Fairies are whimsical beings, many are cruel
Some will cheat you out of your soul
Yet, there are a spare few
Who know the heart of a righteous man
Those beings you must seek out
For they have been set apart as well
But be ye careful on that quest
For some fairies appear as creatures of light
When in fact they are owned by that serpent
You must have a humble heart
To be able to know the difference.”
You nod, your countenance deep in thought
You remember your humble beginnings
All of your parent’s teachings
As well as their errors
The many times you fell by the wayside
You begin to doubt your worthiness
Dawn crests, peeping through a hazy mist
Camouflaging mountain peaks
You see it far in the distance
Contemplating how long this journey will be
The treacherous paths
The restless woodland that never sees light
And the mysterious grassland by the lake
Meadow in the grassland
Spreading toward the lake
Like a green marshy current
That has no destination
Therein the serpent lies waiting
Beneath serene beauty that lulls passersby by
Can you see his Amber eyes
Between the blades of grass
Or did you think them fireflies
For many have lost their lives in that dance
His soft hiss meanders on the wind
Your hearing discerns a mere breeze
Yet, your ears have deceived you
“What is this before you?” I whisper
You look and there stands one
Like unto yourself
Except his skin is exceedingly fair
“I can take you through,”
The fairy says confidently
He is almost childlike, feigning innocence
But I cannot relay this to you
You must discern and choose
Your mind is conflicted
Search in your heart
There you will find the answer
Penetrating the fairy’s gaze
You sense that I am troubled
Something feels off as the elements shift
There is a stumbling of thought
That you are unable to piece together
Wherewith you change your course
Declining his proposal graciously
So as not to make an enemy
But the fairy trembles
As the serpent waits nearby
Knowing he has failed
He takes flight
Only to be devoured by a dark mist
Your heart is troubled
Yet you convince yourself that all is well
You do not understand until the wind shifts
The path ahead expands to darkness
Creeping toward you
Did you think to see an actual serpent?
A dragon maybe?
In the thick of the fray
You swing your sword to conquer
What has taken hold of you
It is only then you realize
That the serpent has no shape
It all seems illusionary
Yet he is there
Aware now that the serpent is a dark mist
That can penetrate your mind and body
You feel unprepared
Fear encroaches upon your heart for the first time
Uncertainty and doubt pervade your mind
The wind is foul
The grass is frozen
Your heart is pounding in your ears
Screaming to get out
A fire wells up inside you
Is it death or defiance?
A battle is emerging between self and spirit
You want to give in because it is too hard
It would be so easy to just let go
To live without rules, guidelines, and expectations
You feel the Master asks too much
For what the serpent is showing you
Seems so appealing
“Do you not remember
How it felt before?” I ask
“You have seen it in dreams
The realm from whence you came
Where the Master was your father
And you had many brothers and sisters
That feeling is still in your heart
Are you willing to trade
The glory that awaits you
For all of this?”
You do not answer me
You are angry that I speak
Thus, I withdraw for a time
Leaving you to the whims of darkness
Your heart hardens
As consuming weight falls upon you
Creating normalcy within you
Before realizing it, years have gone by
You have forgotten the youth you once were
The promises, the valiance, the earnestness
Your armor, rusted and decayed
Slowly sinks in the marsh nearby
You recall it gave you a sense of strength
That you valued
Meadow in the grassland
Sprawling faded hues with the chilled wind
Meadow in the grassland
Reaching in desperation for the living water
There is a deep yearning
Buried beneath the dark mist
The serpent crafted years before
The mist that over time
Became your identity
The yearning reminds you of long ago
It is fleeting but the effect is acute
In the midst of this internal struggle
A small fairy ventures forth
She has been veiled
Hidden in the wilderness
She, who is the dearest of the Master
Was set apart eons ago
Sleeping in the mist… waiting
You sense her presence near
But I cannot alert you as yet
For you have shut me out
She drifts nearby, like a whisper on the wind
You begin to recoil
Lowering your head so as to hide your face
Feeling unworthy to be in her presence
You do not relish letting go
Of the freedoms you have discovered
There before you, in the overgrown thicket
Lies a rusted sword
It’s companion armor nearby
A small glint of light reflects from it
As she passes by
Catching your gaze, it sparks a memory
Suddenly you grow weary
Of the enveloping mist
Craving what was once before
You discern the variance
Between joy and bondage
The fairy draws near
Resting before advancing further
Waiting
Measuring your every move and thought
She observes you walking
Toward the edge of the marsh
Bending slowly
Grasping the hilt of a long-lost friend
As you raise the sword upward
A river of green, mossy slime
Slithers down the blade’s edge
Creeping toward your arm
But you want nothing of it
You sling it outward
Casting flying streams of past residue
The fairy senses your movement
Ascertaining your intentions
She confidently moves closer to you
“The Master has said
That you have a willing heart.”
Her voice sings on the wind
“I do not feel worthy,” you answer
Measuring the suffering of your sword
“He knows your heart
And I must hold true to His trust,” she replied
“After you have conquered this mission
I will be resting in the tops of the mountains
Wherein the Master has set his kingdom
You must bring others
So that his kingdom will grow.”
You slowly look at her
Toward the mountain
Then to her again
You cannot see her face
There is barely a form
But there is beauty and peace
So much peace
She is different than the fairy of light before
There is a sweetness there, a genuine heart
“I’ve still this serpent to conquer,” you say
Still bewildered by the sight before you
“And so you will
Your intention was discerned
When you took hold of your sword.”
You begin to shed tears of sorrow and joy
As new feelings commingle with the mist of darkness
The mist is being torn away reluctantly
It cannot withstand the luminance of the fairy
“I have lost my friend,
The one who spoke to me so often,”
You say
“That friend came with you
When you entered this realm years ago
He is never far away
You must invite him back
For he has been waiting.”
“He guided me so often and comforted me.”
“I am here,” I say to you
“I have been with you but silent
As you did not want to hear me.”
You stand erect at hearing my voice
Eyes misted, as grief and joy wash over you
“I am ashamed, I have slept for so long
My soul aches from the weight of it.”
“Darkness has ever seemed harmless
Until it captures you,” I answer
“You do not realize how heavy it is
Until you are consumed by it
Very few have the strength
To escape its cocoon
Enchanted by the intricacies of the webbing
They do not realize
That they are imprisoned.”
You nod silently
“Aye, it has been such
But this fairy has awakened me
“You would not have awakened
If not for the desire in your heart
Now that your eyes are opened
What will you do?
For this is no common fairy, but a bride.”
You look confused at my words
Hearing but not comprehending
“Am I to take her
To the top of the mountain?
Wherefore? Where is her family?”
“She will go to the mountain
She knows the way
You are her family
You and all those who dwell here
Though some will not acknowledge her
She will rest in the mountains
As many gather to come into that kingdom
To join the wedding feast
Her bridegroom has been before, is
And will be again
Once we have all gathered.”
The fairy moves slowly
Like feathered clouds upon a calm wind
She is moving over the grassland
Toward the lake
“Wait!” You call after her
“That I cannot, for I am moved to go
Toward the top of the mountains
It is time, prepare yourself for what is to come.”
Meadow in the grassland
Declining in the frigid breeze
Meadow in the grassland
Who’s dying blades
Give way to hurried steps
They are coming
The darkened mist
That had once claimed you
Sent out the alarm
What has slept within you awakens in a fury
You grab your armor
Shaking ice from chain mail
Your sword is steadied by an iron grip
Everything in you
Was designed for this moment
Yet there is still struggle within
The darkness has not let go altogether
You feel weak to buy it
“Do not be afraid,” I say
Remember what once was
Remember where you came from
Can you feel it?
You fought this battle once before
In that realm
That part of you is still within
Reach for it.”
You feel the rush of darkness approaching
Something manifests from its core, threatening
You call upon the master who taught you all
“Forgive me!”
Your plea rises up
Received by that realm
A recompense of hope and assurance
Washes over you
Your heart remembers the battle before
As you gather all of your might and strength
With a confidence you have never known
You turn to greet the blackened tide
Triumphantly with heart and blade
The fairies tremble at the sight and flee
But the serpent remains steady
Confident that he will own your soul
His deep, husky laugh
Infiltrates the air around you
He proclaims he will never let you go
You can still feel his iron grip around your heart
Yet your desire to be free of him is stronger
“What is your answer to him?” I ask
Silently you contemplate
While the formless mist grows closer
You address your former jailor earnestly
“You have only borrowed me for a time
You never owned me
For my heart and soul
Was purchased long ago
By my elder brother, the Master’s son
You may not have it
And shall never borrow it again!”
As you finish speaking, you cast your sword
Into the depths of the dark mist
It shakes the earth as it slices through
There is an echo of anger mingled with laughter
A dark column swirls and expands
From the boundaries of heaven
To the gray, sulky marsh
It rages before you
Threatening, yet stationary
“I belong to the Master!
He owns my heart and ever will!”
You declare boldly before the dark column
A roar bellows forth from its depths
As the murky mist rushes upon you
In contemptuous waves
Accompanied by endless screams of tortured souls
He has purchased throughout eons
Then all falls silent
Your breath is heavy and labored
Your heart runs awry
But you are filled with relief
Looking up to the heavens
You realize the weight is gone
The sky is clear and blue
The sun is warm
This battle won
You take inventory of all that has passed
Knowing it is just a pause
As there are always more battles ahead
Yet, having conquered darkness
You have grown wiser
For the next battle that creeps into your path
Meadow in the grassland
The bright green hues of spring awaken
Meadow in the grassland
Embracing its old friend the peaceful lake
“I am glad you are still here,”
You say to me
After a long moment of silence
“I sense your relief at my freedom
Were you worried my friend?”
“For a moment,” I reply
“Only for a moment
But mind you, all can be lost in a moment
Remember what you have learned this day.”
“Please do not ever leave me again,”
You say with misted eyes
Eyes that I have seen through
Since the day you were sent
From the former realm
“I will always be with you
If ever I fall silent
It will be that you turned your heart away
But I will ever be with you
I was your companion
When you first came to this realm
The Master breathed me into your being
So that I could help you choose the good paths
And lead others
Of that office, I am fully committed
Until we return to His realm
To the kingdom that is waiting
In the tops of the mountains
“Where will we go now then?” You ask
“The field is ready my friend,” I answer
“The field is ready. Let us gather.”