Expiation

THE DARKNESS STILL REBELS ON.

THE DARK OF THE NIGHT;

THE DARK OF MY MIND;

THE DARK OF WHAT THE BLIND MAN SAW,

HE SAW A VULTURE CIRCLING DIRECTLY OVERHEAD,

WAITING FOR ITS PREY TO BE KILLED

BY ANOTHER CREATURE

IN ITS STEAD.

NOW, A MAN LIES FACE-DOWN ON THE SIDEWALK;

A SIDEWALK, NOW, RED WITH BLOOD.

AND HE LIES THERE BECAUSE OF ME,

BECAUSE OF MY "LITTLE" INSTABILITIES.

COVERED BY GUILT,

ENSHROUDED WITH SHAME,

I KNEW I MUST ASSIST,

FOR I WAS SOLELY TO BLAME.

I SCREAMED FOR HELP –

BUT NO ONE CAME AROUND.

I SCREAMED FOR HELP –

AGAIN, NOT A SOUND.

AS I WAS WALKING BACK TO THE SIDEWALK,

I THOUGHT OF THE MAN WHO LAID THERE,

CRIED OVER THE GRIEF THAT AWAITS HIS FAMILY,

AND I THOUGHT OF MYSELF, 

AND OF MY DEEDS...

GOD.

HOW I MAKE 

EVEN THE DEVIL

LOOK LIKE A SAINT.

ONCE THERE,

I STOOD BY A STREET-LIGHT.

THE BLIND MAN WAS PROBABLY WATCHING ME.

I LOOKED DOWN UPON THE BLOODY SIDEWALK,

WHERE LAY THE BODY OF THE MAN,

NOW DEAD BECAUSE OF ME,

BECAUSE OF MY “LITTLE” INSTABILITIES.

DID I REALLY KNOW THIS MAN?

DID HE EVER GET A CHANCE TO KNOW ME?

AND WHAT DID HE DO THAT WAS SO OFFENSIVE

THAT I HAD TO THROW HIM

INTO THE JAWS OF MORTALITY?

THE WEIGHT OF ALL THOSE QUESTIONS

WAS DRAGGING ME DOWN.

AND I JUST HAD TO SEE THE FACE

OF THE MAN

I HAD THROWN TO THE GROUND.

I SAW WHAT I HAD TO,

BUT I WISH I DIDN'T.

I WISH I SAW WHAT THE BLIND MAN SAW;

I WISH I SAW THAT VULTURE INSTEAD,

THIS TIME KILLING ITS PREY

USING ITS OWN CLAW

INSTEAD.

BUT I SAW WHAT WAS

THERE TO BE SEEN,

AND I SAW THE MAN

I ONCE HAD BEEN.

Rafi Omar