Broken Eyes

[Lawrence Jaffe]

My eyes are broken
they tire from
relentless
bashing of principles

They wanted to see
what they should
not see
and broke
irrevocably sad

The fire that
once fed my belly
has gone out
replaced by
damp spirits

Now the kindred
fly lame
without wonder
transmitting disdain

I wanted to envision
peace and found war
my eyes cried
until even
the tears dried

I have learned
to confront the world
with my stupidity
and nakedness
this was my legacy

I was a fallen angel
without a god
to inspire me

I turned myself
inside out
removing the skin
from the soul

And without effort
I now see
without eyes
touch without fingers
and laugh
and laugh

I am no longer
a body
and soar like
an eagle
sans wings

I am a free spirit
engaged in the
most gentle
of intercourses
the world is my wonder

We will heal the disease
end the mayhem of war
calm the troubled
and bring joy to the sad
this is our legacy


© 2009 lgjaffe

[Marianne]

You know, Alana, this poem really speaks to me, because it puts into words exactly how I see my life experiences. And it describes a despondency I have been feeling since I started really looking for the truths in this world that the gatekeeping mainstream media are careful to keep from us.

Once I got my first stirring of doubts, when what I was being told didn't match what I knew from my own experience, "my eyes wanted to see what they should not see." For me, the many pictures coming out of Palestine, depicting the dreadful injuries and the torn bodies of the dead, have broken my eyes. I feel "stupid and naked" because for all my well-meaning I'm inexperienced and lacking in knowledge, like Dr Carter in ER.

And I find division even among friends and family.

But change comes when you die to your old self. When you turn yourself "inside out removing the skin from the soul." I have felt this before, many times in my life, at each stage of reaching a new maturity.

When my father died, I felt naked without his protecting presence even though I no longer lived at home. And I felt stupid and immature in taking on his legacy, as an elder daughter. But I found a new freedom. His body looked so peaceful, and yet it wasn't my father, only his shell. And so I lost my fear of death.

When I experienced infighting in the workplace, I felt naked and stupid because those experienced at intrigue were manipulating my boss and they were setting me up to fail. But I learnt from it to recognise intrigue and to question authority figures. And I eventually became a freelancer.

When I got married and we discovered we had some profound differences, as well as the exhilirating oneness, I learnt how to really see things from another person's perspective, rather than just paying lipservice. And I found freedom in letting go of some of my old 'certainties'.

When I found God and started exploring different churches, from evangelical to RC to protestant, I learnt that I just can't do organised religion. And I found freedom in finding God is Love and Love is God, and in engaging in "the most gentle of intercourses."

But right now, now I've learnt to look behind the establishment curtain, I feel more naked and stupid than ever and I don't know how to turn myself inside out when I everywhere I knew I see brutal war, at all levels of our society, at home and abroad. And all I know to do is to try and find other free spirits.

[Louise Marquis]

Hey, Larry. For those of us who do get it, it communicates well. I feel your pain.

[Abir Zaki]

we share your pain..... well penned :-)

[Dylan Mitchell]

A beautiful poem. Honest and true. The last stanza is one of such great spirit and hope:

We will heal the disease
end the mayhem of war
calm the troubled
and bring joy to the sad
this is our legacy

My eyes are often broken,
but I've found the glue:
Your wise words and site
have helped to make a
blind poet see. You have
brought hope and joy to
the sad ones. We thank
you a 1001 times.

--Dylan

[Lawrence Jaffe]

Thank you so much Dylan!!!!