Visions of a Friend - Part Two

A Poetic Narrative

This is part two of three. If you haven’t read part one, you can find it here.

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Having not found any stock photos I liked, I used the SubStack AI function. If ever I can justify it in my budget to hire an artist to make something better, I will.

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Part Two

I've come to know,    as caught in a net,
of all I have    in hate inflicted
upon myself.    Such - Oh ! such grace
as given to me.    No more must I
return the cost    as cross did bear !
Nor hold that pain    of promised torment !
Now joy consumes    all sullen thoughts,
and fills me full    of flowing laughter
as unalike    to any pleasures
within the flesh    as fire and water.
I am made    utterly whole.
No more can I    from mind explain,
but just to say    I'm somehow changed -
no repairing needed,    for no pain remains.
The world is kind,    its wants are simple.
Even if    I were ripped,
stripped, and shredded,    and slowly reduced
I now care not ;    for The Name is with me.
And as Eternity's    truth weighs
upon my mortal    memories imprinting,
yet another vivid    view finds light
within folds    of furious colour :

    Before my eyes comes unfolding
    shafts of light, formation growing -
    edges flowing, brightened motes.
    Many turning faces convey
    glorious trigonal displays -
    vibrant rays, luminous rows.

    High above this body earthly,
    within grasp of otherworldly
    hands they strangely do not meet
    constellations bright, colliding,
    held controlled, they there abiding
    striding forth in a man's reach.

    The man appears as like The Name,
    he clothed in crimson burning flame ;
    'round his frame an azure sash.
    Shines his face and eyes with glory,
    wrapped is he in clouds of iv'ry
    diamond form boldly in grasp,

    it's piercing summit earthward bound.
    Lightning strikes upon the ground - 
    thund'ring sound rending the veil.
    A shaft of blazing light runs trough
    my earthen flesh, made lambent hue,
    and Darkness rues, quakes and quails.

    Bursting forth in might triumphant
    Calv'ry's rays - a gleaming raiment -
    clothe the fervent Winds of Earth.
    Carrying Gospel's finished rite
    they cast ever o'er Darkness Light
    bringing Life to deadened dirt.

With this display    painting the horizon
here ends the vision,    even as my eyes
behold its glory.    So great its affect
that just as I laughed    Joy now compels
me to weep.    
                What could be
a more proper response?    I prostrate myself
                 on the ground.

    Before me stands my own image,
    body bare, striped, beat, and ravaged - 
    damage sustained through bleak years.
    Yet as I study many hurts,
    acquainted closely with the worst,
    reflection births joy through tears !

    Perceiving as through broken cracks
    shimmering sight, like painted glass,
    those wounded gaps revealing.
    From out of every seam pours forth,
    effulgent as the Morning Torch,
    Heaven's Light henceforth shining.

    Joyous laughter spills from my lips
    while glowing fire flows, tip-to-tip ;
    my heart sips of stars divine !
    Glad am I now for pain long past,
    and present aches, for now at last
    sight surpasses mortal lines.

    I whoop and howl in merriment :
    How precious is this sacrament !
    As a filament I blaze.
    Beautif''lly shining all the more,
    now every scar on me adorns
    as light reborn through The Name.

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Part three

Thanks for reading!