The Oasis

Once, I thought I’d found
My soul mate, that one precious
Love that knows no boundaries.
Rushed head long into the emotions
That abounded me, and lost what
I thought was all of me. I gave of
Myself too freely then, much to that
Of my own chagrin.

Yes, in time, my soul did heal. I
Slipped away to nurse the wounds
That were so very deep upon my heart.

Now, Fate has placed me in that place
Once more, to test my strength and
My soul. I heed her warning, Temperance
Is the key to serenity! And now, I sit
In harmony, taking those baby steps
Along that ledge. Should I misplace
Even just one foot, over the edge I could
Plunge into that great chasm below me.

I cling tight to the rocky outcropping,
Desperate to keep my foothold on reality.
Stopping now, get my bearings, I truly do
Wonder, as these emotions run rapidly through
Me, like a babbling brook that chases the turns
And weaves through the trees in a forest. Is
There a lake at the bottom of the waterfall? Or
Just another rocky bottom upon which to shatter
My soul. Twice, now, I’ve been broken, plunged
Downward to the rocks below. The first time, I
Thought this was where I was supposed to be, and
The reality did dawn upon me.

The Sun cracked my skin beneath its heat,
With no water to satiate the parched being
That was me. I crawled, still crawl,
Through that desert and happened upon a mirage
Of what I though Love could be. But you see, that
Was nothing more than a mirage to ease the hurting
Soul. And thus, the quicksand grabbed hold! Now,
It seems, I’ve come upon an oasis within this
Vast desert of my soul. Is this just another mirage
To ease a hurting soul? Or is this an oasis in which
I can find shelter from the burning of the Sun, to
Quench the thirst that parches my lips, cracked from
Heat. It all feels real to the touch, those trees, the brook,
The blooming flora that abounds here. And now,
I see, and feel, that warm white healing light
That radiates from thee.

Have thee been here all along, waiting
For the time to come, that perfect
Moment in which to reach out with some life raft
For my soul? Pull me from the drowning waters that
Have flooded my soul from the negativity in
Which I now drown? So, I walk cautiously towards
Thee, hands outstretched, as if feeling my way
Through a darkened room. I tread softly towards
That warm white light which is thee. It engulfs me,
Breathes new life into me. And I wonder, is this
Where I am supposed to be. Here, in this oasis
Which is thee. My heart screams YES! While the
Mind begs for Temperance.

Love is that sweet rose which needs to be
Cultivated gently, not rushing through the
Heated emotions that grab hold of the heart.
Savour the scent of the sweetest rose and be
Blessed with the harmony of Love. It blooms
Here, in this oasis.

There is familiarity here, in this place. That of what
Once was, in some far off distant place. A soul that
Reaches out and engulfs me, as before, and will another time.
And, again, I wonder if this is where I am meant to be.
What I feel inside, tis real and tears of joy well up within
This beaten and bloodied soul, as it rises to meet that
Warm white healing light which is thee.

Tread softly upon this heart, and gently cradle me
Within the warm white light which is thee. These
Wounds are deep within me and need extra TLC.


(c) 2003 A Riddle