Sea of Darkness

For years I swam in a sea of darkness.
Then a man with long flowing brown hair
had appeared on the shore and went away.
I suddenly found I was drowning in the darkness,
but this darkness was of loneliness, despair, and guilt.
The man returned and threw me a rope.
For a brief while he pulled me to shore.
And then suddenly he was gone again
And once again I sank in the darkness.
Then there was a gentle tug on the rope.
I looked up to see a young woman
with strawberry blonde hair was now attempting to be my rescuer.
Gradually the tugs became stronger
and I slowly moved from the darkness.
Several times a hand reached
from the darkness to pull me back,
But she would not yield.
The darkness tried to take her as well.
But the lightness within her would not allow it.
Slowly she pulls me into the lightness.
I look forward to the day when I can join her there.

Mary E. Terrell
May 19, 1997