You saw beyond the superficial,
filmy one-dimensional facade,
traced the vein of gold
through unrelenting rock to the source.
Saw through the mirage and found an oasis
in a desert brushed white with doubt.
You drew back somber folds of cloud
to reveal a guileless blue sky.
Ignored the clamour and noise,
though not indifferent to the chaos.
For you had purpose and a goal
You strove to achieve your objective
in spite of all obstacles.
You said you had nothing to lose
because you 'started out with nothing'
It took a giant step
- a leap of faith, across continents.

You found a real person,
an unsure child-woman
behind the image with the sad eyes
Flesh and blood, no living fantasy.
All too earthly, all too real.
There was no enigma, no mystery.
For she opened to you like a flower
in full uncompromised bloom.
(far too much bloom if you ask me ;-))
No man before you had ever really seen her.
All they saw was the mirror she held up
and in it a reflection of their own needs.

You became her hero,
(that part you say you don't play well)
her beacon of light in a dark vortex
She looked to you for answers
when all she had was questions.
You didn't provide the answers,
(because you are only too human)
And the irony in all this is that
in spite of your protestations
about what role God played in it all.
He heard her questions
and gave her an answer - You!

Chanti 2006