CLOUD DANCING

(a poem about inner healing)
 

ONCE I WALKED UPON THE EARTH

SO SMALL NO ONE COULD SEE

I SLEPT ON LEAVES AND UNDER STONES

AND FOLKS WOULD STEP ON ME.

I SPENT MY LIFE IN HORROR

THAT SOME WOULD LOOK AND LAUGH

OR TAKE MY TINY OUTSTRETCHED HAND

AND BREAK MY HEART IN HALF.

EACH DAY I SHRANK A SMALLER SIZE

WITHIN MY HOLLOW HOLE

UNTIL MY EYES WERE ALL WERE LEFT

AND A TINY BIT OF SOUL.

AND AS I LAY BENEATH THE LEAVES

AND LOOKED INTO THE SKY

I WONDERED WHO HAD MADE THE WORLD

AND WISHED THAT I COULD DIE.

SOMEHOW WITHIN MY BATTERED SELF

I SENSED A GROWING HUNGER

TO REMOVE THE SHELL, MY SELF MADE HELL

AND DWELL IN THIS WORLD NO LONGER.

I LONGED TO LEAVE MY WORLD OF LEAVES

AND STONES AND FEAR AND HORROR

AND VENTURE FAR INTO THE STARS

AND FIND A NEW TOMORROW.

AND SUDDENLY IN A FLASH OF TIME

I FOUND MYSELF ENCUPPED

WITHIN A HAND (UNLIKE A MAN)

AND GENTLY LIFTED UP.

UP TO THE CLOUDS WHERE I HAD SEEN

THE BIRDS SO FREELY FLY

AND THERE I STOOD UPON THE BREEZE

AND WATCHED THE WORLD GO BY.

"ARE YOU THE MAKER OF THIS WORLD?"

I SHYLY ASKED IN AWE

"YES, I HAVE MADE THIS LITTLE THING

AND YOU MAY HAVE IT ALL."

THE MAN, (UNLIKE A MAN) TOLD ME

AND KISSED MY TROUBLED BROW

"YOU'VE BEEN AWAY SO VERY LONG

BUT YOU HAVE COME HOME NOW."

"IS THIS MY HOME?" I QUERIED HIM

"WHAT OF MY LEAVES AND STONES?"

BUT HE JUST SMILED AND POINTED DOWN

TO SHOW SUCH THINGS WERE GONE.

"ALL FORMER THINGS ARE GONE AWAY

BEHOLD, ALL THINGS ARE NEW

I'LL TAKE YOU FROM THAT LONELY WORLD

AND MAKE MY HOME WITH YOU."

AND WHEN I'D DANCED UPON THE CLOUDS

AND ECHOED LAUGHS AROUND

HE TOOK ME IN HIS GENTLE HAND

AND SET ME ON THE GROUND.

TO MY SURPRISE I'D GROWN IN SIZE

THE WORLD SEEMED SMALL AND FAIR

NO HORROR LURKED BEHIND THE TREES

BUT LIGHT ABOUNDED THERE.

AND INSIDE MY HEART, I FELT A GLOW

I FELT A PRESENCE DWELL

THE MAN, (UNLIKE A MAN) THAT CAME

AND TOOK ME FROM MY HELL.

HE PUT ALL THINGS BENEATH MY FEET

AND RAISED MY HEAD UP HIGH

HE HEALED THE BROKENESS IN ME

THAT MADE ME WANT TO DIE.

HOW DID HE CHANGE THE WORLD SO FAST?

I GAZED AROUND TO SEE

BUT THEN I SAW THAT THE WORLD HADN'T CHANGED

THE CHANGE THAT OCCURRED WAS IN ME.

NO LEAVES AND STONES AND HURTS FOR ME

NO POOLS OF TEARS AND SHROUDS

THE EARTH CAN'T KEEP ME BOUND AND TIED

NOW I CAN DANCE ON CLOUDS!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Rhonda  Jackson
 

April 18, 1982 10:30-11:30 p.m.