"Are We Broken?"
I: The Hidden Beast
We daily stumble, lost along the way,
Each path we cross, we dare not linger long.
For whispers rise where playground laughs went wrong.
A beast within begins to stalk its prey.
It waits in shadows just beyond our reach,
When we stop, there's fear of what might arise.
A storm of pain behind each guarded eyes,
A savage truth no sermon dares to preach.
So we press on, pretending that were whole,
With every step, we mask what lies beneath.
But silence trembles in each shallow breath,
And still it prowls the edges of our soul.
Will we look away and not answer thus.
A beast is born, circling now around us.
II: The Sword Drawn
We’ve felt the wounds of all we’ve had to bear,
We should stand, resolved, unshaken and proud.
We speak with fire, our voice becomes a shroud
A wall of words to shield the hurt in there.
Our fears, once silent, surge into a flame,
A sword unsheathed, slashing before we think.
The edges sharp with rage and blackened ink,
Each sentence flung becomes a cry of blame.
Yet something breaks each time we raise our voice,
A mirror cracks inside our very core.
This battle leaves us weaker than before,
And still we charge, as if we have no choice.
With each strike that's done, we remain alone.
We'll find no peace with breaking blood or bone.
III: The Garden Hill
We climb the hill where silence softly speaks.
Where the moonlight bathes these named stones that weep.
We sit in stillness; thoughts no longer leap,
While moaning goes on from the highest peaks.
We kneel alone to find our troubled kind,
Where tears mix with candles upon the ground.
We've lashed and frowned, but peace we haven't found.
And waited for the turning of our mind.
We hear it asked not only what we feel,
But who we are, and who we choose to be.
The sword falls silent; we begin to see.
A heart laid bare is where it starts to heal.
So on this hill, we lay our anger down,
And trade a crown of pride for thorn and crown.
IV: Paths Made New
Arise and go, the past can lose its sting.
We'll not be the prisoner of regret.
Speak words once caged we could not yet admit.
Forgiveness, like a river, starts to sing.
The path once shattered now begins to mend,
Our broken steps now echo side by side.
We drop our pride, no longer need to hide,
And reach for them, not enemy, but friend.
The words are simple, yet they free the soul.
"I forgive you" and mean it through and through.
Now love walks with us, steady, strong, and true,
Restoring all that bitterness once stole.
Our paths now joined where once the rift was wide,
We walk as one, with mercy as our guide.
These poems grew out of my original piece, Broken Paths (https://pachathepoet.blogspot.com/2025/06/broken-paths.html). link to previous poem
AI summary from NotebookLM:
This work is a spiritual reimagining of a 2018 poem, transformed into a four-part sonnet structured with a rhythmic long meter to explore the transition from resentment to peace. The text moves from an initial state of internal conflict and defensive anger toward a realization that true liberation requires surrendering one’s pride. By focusing on the sacrificial suffering of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, the author illustrates a pivotal "one eighty" turn where individual pain is exchanged for the grace of reconciliation. Ultimately, the poem serves as a call to abandon broken, solitary paths in favor of a unified journey defined by the holy act of forgiveness.
This comprehensive summary of the provided sources explores the journey from internal turmoil and resentment to a state of peace and reconciliation.
### **The Internal Conflict: The Hidden Beast and the Sword**
The journey begins with a "daily stumble" where individuals feel lost and haunted by a **"beast within"** that stalks the shadows of their souls. This internal struggle is often born from a "storm of pain" and past hurts that are kept hidden behind guarded eyes. To cope with this suffering, individuals often build a **"wall of words"** and unsheathe a metaphorical sword of rage, using blame as a shield. However, this defensive anger is self-destructive; every time the voice is raised in rage, it cracks the individual’s core, leaving them weaker, alone, and unable to find peace.
### **The Turning Point: Stillness and Reflection**
The path to healing requires a deliberate shift toward stillness and reflection, often associated with a **"Garden Hill"**. In this place of silence, the "sword falls silent," and the focus shifts from external blame to internal identity. It is here that individuals are asked not just what they feel, but **"who they choose to be"**. This stage involves acknowledging a higher sacrifice, noting that "He suffered all for you and me," which encourages the individual to get down on one or both knees to find true freedom. By trading a **"crown of pride"** for a "thorn and crown," the heart is laid bare and the healing process begins.
### **The Resolution: Forgiveness and Mended Paths**
The final stage is a **"one eighty" turn**, marked by the decision to "arise and go" and leave the sting of the past behind. Forgiveness is described as a "river" that begins to sing, mending paths that were once shattered and wide. Key elements of this resolution include:
- **Dropping Pride:** Choosing to no longer hide behind ego or resentment.
- **Simple Words:** The transformative power of saying, **"I forgive you,"** and meaning it.
- **Unified Paths:** Once-divided paths join as one, allowing former enemies to walk together as friends, guided by mercy, love, and Christ.
Ultimately, the sources suggest that while the "broken paths" of resentment are painful, they can be restored through humility and the choice to forgive.
