on my way...

by human being

illustrations by rhoda penmarq

on my way i saw a woman buried deep in the earth up to her shoulders with her face torn off by the stones thrown at her she was still alive and her long hair rippled in the breeze was it love?, i asked no, she moaned, it was a fight between my owners what can i do for you?, i enquired nothing, she responded in a fading voice, just take one of these stones and throw it in the running water i sat there combing her long hair with my sad fingers until she died then i took one of the stones - the bloodiest - and continued on my way on my way i saw a man fastened to a tree with his hands cut off blood was dripping down on the stones he was still alive and his long hair rippled in the breeze was it a fight between your owners?, i asked no, he moaned, it was a war between hunger and me what can i do for you?, i enquired nothing, he responded in a fading voice, just take one of these stones and throw it in the running water i stood there combing his long hair with my sad fingers until he died then i took one of the stones - the bloodiest - and continued on my way on my way i saw a couple a boy and a girl the boy was shot in the heart lying on the ground with blood gushing from his chest the girl was hanged on the gallows with blood streaming gently down her nailless fingers joining the boy's blood on the stones they were still alive they both had very short hair there was no breeze a distant storm loomed in the horizon was it a fight between your owners or a war between you and hunger?, i asked no, they moaned, it was for truth and freedom what can i do for you?, i enquired nothing, they responded in a fading voice, just take one of these stones and throw it in the running water i stayed there caressing their faces with my sad fingers until they died then i took one of the stones - the bloodiest - and continued on my way i walked for days and for years but i couldn't find any running water one day i took out the stones and held them in my hands i was tired and the stones were so heavy i cried i cried because i still remembered i should have done something tears were running from my eyes dripping on the stones washing away the blood dried on them the stones and my fingers were all wet and bloody i threw them up in the air they joined each other and turned into a crow and the crow sat in a tree and started cawing: it is all for love it is all for love it is all for love you can still see the tree you can still hear the crow you can still touch a stone what will you do with it? monday, july 12, 2010