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 master has watched over you
He has seen you from sprout to fruition
Monitoring every gaze, every move, every thought
Just as he has with others,
Yet some of you 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 evolved to chaos and many fell
Thus all, even those who fought for the master
Were called to endure tribulation before they could return to him
The choices they made determined their spirit’s well being
Would they live with the master again or dissolve into darkness?
Your head tilts in wonder and question as I speak
But I cannot 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 that 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 started when you were young
The steps from your home
Mastered by two
Into the yard and 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 man full 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 stream 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 play in his favor to save themselves
How will you win their hearts and gain passage beyond the mountain?”
“I am told my smile can win the fairest and most resistant maid 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 mothers golden braid band. It has emeralds and rubies set within.”
I nod silently before answering.
“And if they take this ornament and do not give you an increase, what will you do then?”
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 in that quest, for some fairies appear as lighted beings,
When in fact they are owned by that serpent.
You must have a humble heart to be able to know the difference.”
Then you nod, your countenance deep in thought
You begin to remember your humble beginnings
All of your mother’s teachings and your father’s errors
Suddenly you do not think so highly of yourself
But direct your thoughts and feelings toward this journey
Dawn crests, peeping through a hazy mist that hides the 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
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 carries on the wind
But your ears detect only a rustling in the air
Yet they have deceived you
“What is this before you?” I whisper
You look and there stands one like unto yourself
Except his skin is so fair, almost translucent.
“I can take you through,” he says confidently
He is almost childlike, smiling, feigning innocence
But I cannot relay this to you for you must discern and choose
You are warring with your mind, think with your heart
There you will find the answer.
Penetrating his gaze, you sense that I am troubled
Something feels off, chaotic, there is a stumbling of thought
That you are unable to piece together
Wherewith you change your course and nod your head politely
Declining his proposal graciously so as not to make an enemy
But the fairy starts to tremble as the serpent waits nearby
Knowing he has failed, he begins to run but is 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 darkness ahead takes an unusual appearance, enveloping you
Did you think to see an actual serpent? A dragon maybe?
In the thick 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 is all illusion, yet he is there
You now know that the serpent is a dark mist
That can penetrate your mind and body
So early in your journey
You feel as if you are falling
You have been caught unaware
The wind is foul
The grass is frozen
Your heart is pounding in your ears,
Screaming to get out
A fire is in you
Is it death or defiance?
You are at war within yourself
You want to give in because it is too hard
It would be so easy to just let go
To live without all of the rules, guidelines, and expectations
You feel for the first time that the Master asks too much
For what the serpent is showing you is so appealing
“Do you not remember how it felt before?
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 home you know awaits you
For all of this?”
You do not answer me
You are angry that I speak
And so I withdraw for a time
Leaving you to the whims of darkness
Your heart hardens and you are burdened with consuming weight
It seems to create normalcy within you
Before you realize it, years have gone by
You have forgotten the youth you once were
The promises, the valiancy, the earnestness
Your armor, rusted and decayed
Floats in the marsh nearby
You have forgotten that, though once heavy,
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
Somewhere inside of you there is a 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 battle comes forth a small fairy
She has been veiled and hidden in the wilderness
She, who is the dearest of the Master, was set apart eons ago
Sleeping in the mists…waiting
You sense her presence near but I cannot alert you as yet
For you have shut me out
She grows near 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 rusty sword, its companion armor nearby
A small glint reflects from it as she passes by
It catches your gaze, sparking a memory
Suddenly you grow weary of the mist that envelops you
You crave what was before
You discern the variance between joy and bondage
The fairy comes nearby, resting before she advances further
Waiting, measuring your every move and thought
She observes as you walk toward the edge of the marsh
Bending slowly and grasping the hilt of a long lost friend
As you raise it upward, a river of green, mossy slime
Slithers down the blade’s edge
Creeping toward your arm
But you want nothing of it as you sling it outward
Sending flying streams of past residue
The fairy senses your movement
Ascertaining your direction
She feels confident as she 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 as you continue to measure the suffering of your sword
“He knows your heart, and I must hold true to his trust,” she continues
“After you have conquered this mission, I will be resting on 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 and then to her again
You cannot see her face, there is barely a form
But you can see there is beauty and peace…so much peace.
She is different than the fairy of light before
There is a sweetness there that is true, a genuine heart
“I’ve still this serpent to conquer,” you say
Still bewildered by the sight before you
“And so you will, it was confirmed when you picked up your sword.”
You begin to shed tears of sorrow and joy
As new feelings co-mingle with the mist of darkness
The mist is tearing itself away reluctantly
It cannot bear the presence of her.
“I have lost my friend, that one who spoke to me so often,” you say
“That friend came with you when you entered this realm years ago
He is never 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 following you
But kept silent as you did not want to hear me.”
You stand erect at my voice
Eyes misted, a comingling of grief and joy washes over you
“I am ashamed, I have slept for so long
My bones ache from the weight of it”
“Darkness has ever seemed harmless until it captures you,” I answer
“You do not know how heavy it is until you are consumed by it
Very few have the strength to escape its cocoon.
They become lost in the beauty of the webbing
Before long 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 to open your eyes.
Now what will you do?
For this is no common fairy, but a bride.”
You look confused at my words
You hear but do not understand
“And I am to take her to the tops 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
She will rest in the mountains
As many gather to come into that kingdom
Her bridegroom has been before, is and will be again
Once we have all gathered.”
You see the fairy moving slowly away
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 tops 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
Whose 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 chainmail
Your sword is steadied by an iron grip
Everything in you was made for this moment
Yet there is still a struggle within
The darkness has not let go altogether
You feel weakened by it
“Do not be afraid. 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
Suddenly it rises from within.
You call upon the Master who taught you all
“Forgive me!”
Your pleas rise up and are 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 darkened tide happily with heart and blade
The fairies tremble at the sight and flee
But the serpent remains steady
So confident is he that he will own your soul
That a deep, husky laughter fills the air around you
He proclaims he will never let you go
“What is your answer to him?” I ask
You are silent as you look at the formless mist that encircles you
Then, with a slight smile, you address your former jailor
“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 very earth as it slices through
A dark column collects from the boundaries of heaven to the marsh
Swirling before you, threatening yet stationary
“I belong to the Master. He owns my heart and ever will!”
You yell into dark column
A roar pours forth
The darkened misted rushes upon you
In contemptuous swirls
Carrying with it the screams of endless souls
He has purchased throughout eons
Then all falls silent
You are breathing heavy, your heart runs awry
But you are filled with relief
You look up to the heavens
The weight is gone
The sky is clear and blue
The sun is warm
This battle took all of the winter months
You are tired and hungry
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.”
“Please do not ever leave me again.” you say with misty 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
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, the field is ready. Let us gather.”