A F T E R B I R T H by Nicole Terry PART I - Origo The Machine Delivered me to Labor The Wizard certified my soul Mommy proffered me to the devil Paperboy declared me sold   They said, “There's a light in the tunnel Follow it `til you get to the field Report to the man in the tollbooth He'll give you your assignment to kill."   Man said, "You see your life won't be easy You gotta toil to get by You've a promised Debt to society When you've paid in full you can die." I said, "What do you mean I can die? Toiling in my life to get by? I was only born a moment ago No, I've got my own plans in mind."   I looked out across the field to see How many had bought this crooked line Thousands and thousands of backs in the sun Bent with their noses to the grind. "Look here don't give me no trouble," Said the man with the gun in his hand. "Such ideas here are forbidden It's the Law to shoot you where you stand."   Puzzled, I found a spot in the field And planted my feet in the ground While I waited to see what should happen I occupied my mind with the sound   Of spirits racing by unimpeded I wondered how could I survive? I questioned empty eyes saw they were hopeless Slowly the years crept by. . .   PART II - Liberatio 30 years old, a lifetime to go Man, it's been hard getting by I've been beaten and bruised for my reason In silence, I Liberate my mind I looked ahead to the evening And a dawning of a new age Of toiling no more for the Giants Freedom to all those engaged   So, I threw down the plough and I shouted, "You'll no longer have the abuse of me!" I ran for the edge of the field Before I got there, was knocked to my knees   I felt the mighty hand of an Agent At my back pressed cold hard steel "You see, you can never escape from Duty Forget all your insane ideas   Freedom? No such thing here exists Never has there been in all time So return to your post and your toiling Or you risk the firing line." "One day I know I shall be free I can see beyond the Horizon A storm fast approaches along your path And you'll have all the fear when it comes."   Angered, I found a spot in the field And stood my feet on the ground I waited to see what would happen My mind humming with the sound   Of spirits racing to my aid Something told me 'You have nothing to fear Soon all your questions will be answered Your days aren't much long here'. . .   that night I closed my eyes to sleep and awoke walking on a black road of dreams I saw a dragon flying through a wilderness of herds an eagle on the wind and a lion rose from the sea   from a cloud appeared a rumbling light out of the light came a stranger of Being "be not afraid, we mean you no harm we know what wonders your heart seeks   we've watched you since the day you were born and knew you before you were formed we've come to answer your tears below the Time of Harvest is in the fields" the Stranger laid a hand upon my forehead and left a mark, I was full of Light "careful, they'll search for you come mourning awake now, you've no more need to hide"   PART III - Novae Res With the Dawn, I awoke to sirens And realized the search had begun I was not afraid, I stood my ground I was tired of life by the gun In my mind the strength of clarity I turned to face the empty-eyed army I was stampeded, but I was not done This war I will fight `til it's won Should I fail? I've nothing left to barter I've got no more of me to sacrifice Next came, an Army of Agents "I am Come to reveal all your secrets!" Inside me I felt the Archives of Reason Written on the code of my life From my mouth came the outflow of the Truth The Tempest rode the back of sun's rise Sensing the end the people scattered The storm plucked them up from the earth Agents gave up weapons and their last breath Were carried away by a hurricane of death I saw Giants fall from their great thrones And crawl for cover beneath ash and bone The Storm chewed them up as a feast From its throat, it vomited a beast Lightning struck the beast on its eye From the sky, it fell with a quake The earth opened up and swallowed it whole The Tempest broke, and left not stain   Amazed I stood at the edge of a garden Beckoned by the lull of a Stranger's tune I laid my hand upon the gate to enter And knew my search would end soon. . . EPILOGUE My mind buzzing with the spirits of conscience I knew this was one of but many directions The door to the line of Evolution stood open I crossed the threshold to the birth of new questions © Copyright 2008 Nicole Terry ALL RIGHTS RESERVED   [back to Poems] [Sensual Poetry]