The Old Skin

As the snake sheds it's skin,
A beauty within is revealed.

Cast aside what's no longer needed,
And doesn't fit any more.

Armor protects for a certain circumstance;
Unless the touch of a human hand
Is needed.

So as the layers of the onion fall away,
There is no need to cry.
For the stinging fumes once emerged
Have evaporated and been carried
Away by the wind.

My eyes are open,
But there is a new
Life I see before me.
Full of life, I feel my heart beating
The pulse of life.

Breathing is no longer burdensome,
But a gift beyond description.
My days are numbered,
But I am no longer counting.

Stillness settles
As my mind
Clears storms of fury.

Pure is the sky that I once sensed
To crush me.
Standing tall, the hanger regains
It's original shape...
Arranged again to serve
It's purpose.

Life is no longer painful-
A pit waiting and
Looking to swallow me.

Being present
In time
In space
To soothe
In calm
The peace
Of joy.

5-19-09