CEASEFIRE!
I’m calling a ceasefire!
There are too many holes in my body to count.
You’re standing next to me
But I can’t see you through all these flashing lights.
Your eyes are swollen. I know.
They probably look a lot like mine, staring into enemy lines
Trying to decipher all the watery black dotted figures.
They creep closer like zombies
And still I lay screaming,
CEASEFIRE!
I’m calling a ceasefire!
All I hear are bells in my ears
Am I awake or am I dead?
I can’t press snooze on these alarms!
I don’t know if they’ve listened.
Are they still shooting?
CEASEFIRE! CEASEFIRE! CEASEFIRE!
I see blood like rubies tumble from my dullified eyelids
The ground before me like mounds of chocolate lathered in a thick strawberry syrup.
It looks so sweet but all I taste is bitterness.
Is this all that’s left for me to consume?!
What a wretched soul I am whispering, pitifully,
Ceasefire, ceasefire
Shhhhhhh… shhhhhh… The wind howls past me
Or so I presume.
All I feel are gentle hands lifting me gradually, carefully, methodically
Am I on my way to Paradise?
Ceasefire, ceasefire… I mutter with my last sliver of strength
I’m certain I’m dodging bullets as I speak voicelessly
I tune my ears to a sweet voice singing…
“My child, my child
Lay down your defenses.
My lily, my lily
Look up and see me.”
The flesh around my eyes instantly dries and deflates.
Ceasefire, ceasefire, I’m calling a ceasefire
The battlefield is clean. My wounds are days old.
The black figures are white.
Their weapons are utensils
Meant for stitching,
Meant for mending.
They heard me.
I’m in awe.
my eyes refuse to close.
Was her tongue not a bullet moments ago?
Were his eyes not bombs when I last looked up?
They’ve been standing far away for hours
Beckoning to me
They listened. They saw.
I didn’t.
My throat was raw from crying out in vain.
I couldn’t help but hold on until I thought I’d reached my end.
Then, I notice
my hands are pistols
my feet are rifles.
Most of these extra openings were homemade.
“My child, my child
You nearly shot yourself dead
My lily, my lily
May my power reign in you instead
My lovely, my lovely, Oh my lovely
Embrace them while you can.”
I feel Him caress my countenance softly
And diamonds fall from the windows to my soul
Clarity. Reality. Lovely, my lovely.
