The Light of My Being

In this body,
The silent weight of desperation
In these eyes,
Black coals on a fiery night
In this face,
A token stain of a man deeply scarred
But in this heart
I may know the light of my being

In these hands,
I seize treasure, oft beguiled
In these arms,
I hold restraint for that which I want to be
On my head,
Rests a crown of tempered thorns
But in this heart
I may know the light of my being

Of pride and glory
I balance the serrated road of chance
Of bounty immeasurable
I celebrate the perception of my spoils
Of time and turmoil
I swallow the anguish of an aging soul
But of this heart
I may know the light of my being

Of pomp and circumstance
I play along like a clown
Of dignities grace
I stand alone, off to the side
Of pride and impudence
I've been lost between
But of this heart
I may know the light of my being

Of truth or consequence
I've retreated willfully
Of lies and candor
I've suffered casualties in full
Of compassion and vengeance
I've tasted the sin of weakness
But of this heart
I may know the light of my being

Of trust and treason
I salute the covenants of neither
Of freedom never-ending
I pledge it only to myself
Of god and country
I stand out like an island
But of this heart
I may know the light of my being

Of will and destiny
I walk narrow streets going nowhere
Of friends everlasting
I break bread with the still of seclusion
Of photographs and memories
I reflect on the moment
But of this heart
I may know the light of my being

Of legacies and donations
I bequeath to no one
Of misdeeds and transgressions
I am tempted more than not
Of opportunities knocking
I take them for granted
But of this heart
I may know the light of my being

Of common courtesy
I take pains not to waste it
Of common sense
Only that it makes sense to me
Of common valor
I remain a spectator
But of this heart
I may know the light of my being

Of velocity and change
I hang on for dear life
Of hopes and dreams
I wait until they need each other
Of Avalon landings
I am lost at sea
But of this heart
I may know the light of my being

Of pain and fear
I pretend not to notice
Of love and hate
I have been torched by the fire they breathe
Of life and death
I stand aside while they chase each other
But of this heart
I may know the light of my being

In this body
Seeds of life not watered
In these eyes
Sterile lights on a barren night
In this face
Shadows of a man unbroken
But in this heart
I may know the light of my being

In these hands
I take stock of all others
In these arms
I embrace only myself
In my mind
I have visions of a man for all seasons
But in this heart
I may know the light of my being