He climbed toward the blinding light
and when his eyes adjusted
he looked down and could see
his fellow prisoners captivated
by shadows; everything he had believed
was false. And he was suddenly
in the 20th century, in the sunlight
and violence of history, encumbered
by knowledge. Only a hero
would dare return with the truth.
So from the cave’s upper reaches,
removed from harm, he called out
the disturbing news.
What lovely echoes, the prisoners said,
what a fine musical place to live.
He spelled it out, then, in clear prose
on paper scraps, which he floated down.
But in the semi-dark they read his words
with the indulgence of those who seldom read:
It’s about my father’s death, one of them said.
No, said the others, it’s a joke.
By this time he no longer was sure
of what he’d seen. Wasn’t sunlight a shadow too?
Wasn’t there always a source
behind a source? He just stood there,
confused, a man who had moved
to larger errors, without a prayer.
(Stephen Dunn)
More Poetry from Stephen Dunn:
Stephen Dunn Poems based on Topics: Man, Death & Dying, Heroism, Prayers, Error & Mistake, History, Truth, Jokes & Humor, Media & News, Wisdom & Knowledge- Slant (Stephen Dunn Poem)
- Walking The Marshland (Stephen Dunn Poem)
- Landscape At The End Of The Century (Stephen Dunn Poem)
- At The Smithville Methodist Church (Stephen Dunn Poem)
- With No Experience In Such Matters (Stephen Dunn Poem)
- Named (Stephen Dunn Poem)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Man Poems, Death & Dying Poems, Wisdom & Knowledge Poems, Truth Poems, Prayers Poems, Heroism Poems, Media & News Poems, History Poems, Jokes & Humor Poems, Error & Mistake PoemsBased on Keywords: larger, source, believed, cave, upper, climbed, prose, century, confused, prisoners, blinding