What We Do

Alone, a young woman stands naked in place
in a crowd without an unfamiliar face,
they gather around her, cheering;
hoisting her in the air,
they carry her through a red desert
and they intend to leave her there.
They hold her and tell her that
she is their treasure-
cheering louder, grasping tighter,
they offer her their pleasures.


A handsome face, red eyes, forked tongue,
tells her she’s the most beautiful woman to have ever lived-
tells her there’s nothing she could ever want that he couldn’t give.
“Forever, forever; I will always love you.”
He takes her hand, tries to pull her from the crowd,
“Come with me and you won’t be alone,”
he wants her to himself, but the crowd won’t let her go.


A body with the faces of all her closest friends
calls out to her and grabs her arm, keeping her in place-
with a dark, masked smile and stare, it holds her face,
handing her poison to drink,
she takes it in her hands because she trusts them,
or does she?
“Remember how much we love you... we love you... we need you.”
Maybe she just wants to make them happy.
She wants to make everyone happy.


She gasps as the glass is taken from her hands-
a creature with shifty eyes and quick fingers before her stands
laughing.
Throwing the glass down, he waves a coin purse in her face.
“Think of all the luxuries only I can give you.”
Placing his hands over her eyes, he puts pictures in her mind-
beautiful things surrounded her, and oh, how she was smiling.


But the visions quickly faded; with a jolt she was awakened.
Before her stood the most beautiful woman, thin and perfect.
“You can look like me... think of how desired you could be.”
And she started to long for a perfect face, a perfect shape.
The shame in this longing made her heart ache.
She cried out, “I’m sorry...” as tears slid down her cheeks,
knowing she should be better than to give in so easily.


They all circled around her,
calling her name.
Telling her she has to make a choice,
this is not a game.
They called her and beckoned her and begged her to follow them,
telling her she could never find truer happiness.
Confused and frustrated, she screamed-
hate and rage pounded in her vocal chords.
She stood there crying... crying and screaming-
hoping to wake up; hoping she was dreaming-
beating on her own chest, eyes shut tight,
to keep out all the sounds, all the sights
of the pieces of her life that carry her away–
the pieces of her life that she hates that she loves.
She hates that she loves.


Overwhelmed, she drops to her knees-
as they close in around her, she begs them, “PLEASE-
just let me breathe... I just need to breathe.”
They gather around her, telling her, “Choose!
I can give you what you wish!”
Then she hears a voice saying
“REAL LOVE IS OUTSIDE OF THIS!
There’s a light beyond all these faces,
and it will keep shining in the darkest of places.
All you have to do is turn to Me...
I can make it better,
let Me be what you need.”


She liked the way it sounded,
she wanted that peace...
But she was too ashamed, too complacent to fight.
She let her demons carry her
into the night.

Why do we do what we do?

--Lo--