two paths lay before me,
one full of hope, one empty.
you and the sun on the right,
the other hades and the night.

cold, hard, metal presses my left
and the moonlight splits me in half-
quick is this choice, it will leave me deaf
to the fading sounds of a newborn calf.

on Jesus’ side, in the moon light,
an image of a daughter of Mary
sparkles like the dust of a fairy.
i am to her a disparaging knight

the world outside contains little light,
and many shadows, that encroach on
the celebrations of life- a gift which
i have, needing to be wiped clean

i shift from shoe to shoe,
i can see only one open door,
the metal on my left falls to the floor,
and i lift up the image, the image of
you.