Walking on Ice

Walking on Ice 3/2/2012

A thin barrier is all we have
Between life and death
A silvered thread
Clear and transparent
Holding us
In the here and now.

But you can't always tell
Where the dangers lurk
So we must choose our steps wisely
And know every risk.

Like a man on a tightrope
Must maintain his balance
Lest he fall into the nothingness
And die.

With each step and reaction
He must carefully measure
Managing the sway
From side to side.

The ice thickens
But to those who fall through
It can become a frozen nightmare
And a watery grave.

It is a miracle that we are here
And there must be a reason
That we survive
And remember.

Therefore, it is a sacred duty
To find out how and why
Learning from our mistakes
And sharing what we know.

Turning over the secrets
The hidden truth in the lies
And the lies about the truth
Because nobody knows it all
But all of us, know a little.

Our hearts and minds feel, think and react
To the stimuli around us
Preconditioned and hardwired
Unconscious and blind.

Hurling ourselves upstream
In a never ending quest
Seeking replication
And eternity.

For some the end
Shall always justify the means
Perfectly at ease
With any lie or deception.

Unhindered by conscience
And without any remorse
They give just to get
And promise just to steal.

They do not bother themselves
With regret or doubt
But rather demonize their victims
And conceal all their crimes.

As for me
Oh, how I long to act
To do something dramatic
And meaningful.

To take the future in my hands
And do what I will
Destroying what is wrong
Just to make it right.

There is a clarity in violence
But also a strength in stoic grace
Standing erect and staring straight ahead
When all you want
Is blood.

Holding back your hands
With dignity and honor
Showing the difference
By rising above
And beyond.

I too have been there
And I have been tested
Again and again
Fired, pounded
Frozen and fired
Until I thought I would die.

It is in those moments
Endless and unbearable
That we feel the pull
As blood, muscle and sinew
Stiffen and surge.

And then comes the moment
That makes us
Who we are
Either for the better
Or the worse.

When we either rise higher
Or sink even lower
Victims of our emotions
Or masters of our hearts.

Judgment will separate men
And wisdom will make all the difference
Our decisions reflecting our ability
To grow and to learn.

But the hardest lesson
Does not come either here or there
But in the long days in between
That seem to last forever.

Because, although there is good and bad
We cannot expect any reward
Nor any apology
Not in this time
And not in this world.

Our eyes may never see
Nor our ears ever hear
All the things, we wish
Or think, we deserve.

But still, we must remain
Immovable and committed
Resigned to our most likely end
Unremembered and unsung.

Because better it is to lose your life
Than it is to lose your soul
And far better it is to gain eternity
Than any false glory.

The sounds of heaven
Will heal our wounds
And the love of God
Will mend our hearts.

Joined with those we love
And many, many more
At last free of pain
And condemnation.

This world shall vanish
Along with all its cruelty
Dissolving into nothing
Burned, cleansed, and purified
Until it shines.

On that day
We shall all become
The work we have made
Soaring high above
Effortless and sublime.

We are the critical element
The one limitless equation
The greatest cause or curse
For all possible futures
Just waiting to occur.

But only if our feet are sure
And our thoughts composed
Each and every step deliberate
Steady and wise.