The Island of Mercy and Doubt



With glazed eye and alone in barren land
The only wish had is a gun within the hand
We wish to be at peace,
To drown away the storm;
To embrace the cold breath of death,
Sure to keep us warm

In these harsh minds we remember
Every pleasant memory
But in the harshness of the sea
We cast the thoughts ashore
Like the fire to dying ember
Our hopes will be no more

Yea we flail inside the darkness,
The caverns of our minds
In the vast and lonely cosmos
With no help from the divine

We tumble in a whirlpool
What if the madness never ends?
What if we gain no tool
No chance to escape to our friends

Alas! What would it be?
If they knew what's become of me.
Nay, I'll stay upon the sea
Unholy broken and afrightened
And my anguish try to stiffle

But they wake up from their slumber
Because of foolish blunder
They ask and ask away
'til I've said all I could say

Mere trifles and comforts little these are no more
I long for a husband, I get a whole

Yet suddenly there came a light
As bold as day as bright as night
It appears a wonder on the horizon
I imagine it a setting sun
But it draws nearer, nearer still
I feel myself waking against my will

I do not wish to feed my wishes
Or dive to live among the fishes
Rather a slave to the island I'll be
For I dare not trust my insanity

It will not leave, it knows I'm here,
and it slowly but surely draws near
I hear the call upon the shore
I feel lies there peace for all who are poor

Alas! I cannot come I cried
For I have murdered, stolen, lied
This island is my new home now
I wipe the sweat off my anxious brow

Ah the voice draws nearer still
But comfort it does not
Instead my spine feels a sudden chill
Like a sudden drought
A draft of wind tis all I said
But this draft of wind would make me dead

And still the voice inside my head
screaming hide fills me with dread
Part longs to find my way off the curse
Part feels as if t'would but make things worse

I fight in fear,
I struggle to be free,
I ask myself, What's become of thee
Why do you stay here?

Why do you hold so fast,
That your turmoil may longer last.
Part cries out at night to fight
Part forces me out of fright to flight.

Finally I hear the drums,
From mountain top my savior comes
I see he'd been there all along
Biding His time to make me strong
Rejoice always and trust in me
Then free from this dread you'll be

I felt afraid, though I did trust
His grace and love was all too much
And just when I about to fall
Turned around to give a call
He caught me and He held me fast
Stating that it wouldn't last

I'd be off the island soon
In the safety of my own room
Never forgetful,
Ever grateful
That is what I should be

Learning, Yearning, Old self burning,
Spirit Churning
When I think of how things used to be
Upon the Island upon the sea.
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Written on March 05, 2018

Submitted by Lenawasserman on August 23, 2021

Modified on March 05, 2023

2:51 min read
6

Quick analysis:

Scheme AAXBXB CDDECE XXXX FGFG DDDAF CCHH EX IIJJKK XXDD LMEX NNOO KXKXPP PPQQ MDDL RRII SSTTDD XXUURR XXVVD WWDD
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 2,666
Words 561
Stanzas 19
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 4, 4, 5, 4, 2, 6, 4, 4, 4, 6, 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 5, 4

Lena Wasserman

I am 17 years old and about to go to college to study Aerospace Physiology. My favorite poets are Emily Dickinson and Edgar Allan Poe. more…

All Lena Wasserman poems | Lena Wasserman Books

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