The Boy Warrior

by Rich

You came as a thief in the night.
Cowards heroics.
And took all that was dear to me,
never asking just taking.

You followed in the shadows a
all the days of my life,
But, now I see you, no more places
for you to hide,
You were the monsters chasing me in my dreams,
And will no more.

For out of the ashes of the life you took,
came something you cannot take,
The courage of a child!
The love of a child!
Or the spirit of a child!

Yes you took so much.
And you still follow and torment
me in my moments of weakness.

So many times you wore me down,
and each time I would fight you back.
For so long I fought you to a stalemate,
never winning never loosing.

Me at the edge of the abyss,
And you always managing to
take more ground.
Never satisfied,
Greed with no bounds.

Always trying to push me over the edge,
and close you came many a time.
How clever you thought you were!

How blind you are by your own ignorance.
Only a fool wouldn’t know,
That out of the destruction comes creation

Yes my old nemesis, my life long companion.
You did create something!
You made me!

I am the sum of your trials.
You are part of me.
I accept you are part of my life.
I accept you have taken all that is dear to me.
Above all, I accept you made the Boy Warrior!!!

Did you believe I would never find him again?

That eight year old boy, I left behind so many years ago.
It is he who carried me thru life!
It is he who pushed you when I could not!
It was he who loved when I wanted to hate!
It was he who cried when I could not!
It is he who opened my eyes to you!
It is he who would not give up on me-when I gave up on him!

Yes you hurt me.
But you did not destroy me or him.
We stand together now, side by side – you have lost!
Yes! See what you have made!

You know the bad, but what of the good?
You know not my measure of Love,
Compassion,
Generosity,
My spirit,
Love of life and people!
Or my unwavering faith.
You know not my willingness to do
the right thing regardless of the cost.

No you don’t know me!
And you never will.

I will morn my loses.
And rejoice for my life.
There are no more shadows.
As we walk in the light of our soul now.

The soul of an eight-year-old boy and
a 53-year-old man who became the boy warrior.
A boy who’s smile lights the way,
As we forever embrace and walk the path of life as one.
Whole again.