A Soul Pit Poem by Lonnie Hicks

I rescued my soul from its Drowning Pit
awash with seething anger and sorrowful regrets
offering it gentle release and conversation
to recant the journey brought it to the Pit
and how the road there might have revealed
signposts, warnings and beseeches.

It could not catch its breath and I spoke first
asking how it came to that state
where it was willing to chance suicide
and toss itself overboard to oblivion.

'The soul you know' I said 'lives on forever
and cannot die
how then was it then you planned to down fall
and expire, a Soulful death
which by definition cannot be:
no soul dies-
it lives on if harmed in suffering.'

My Soul composed its words, speaking slowly
'True I did not die even as I bottomed in the Pit
but Soul's you know can be obscured and lose
the will to continue to live if their Spirit force is
drained from them dry.'
That Spirit Force is the Soul's origin, its life force;
for Life itself gives birth to all Souls you know.'

'Soul you are wise' I said ' What will you do now
to regain that spark
without which Eternity dies?
Will you avoid another attempt as suicide? '

Oh, Soul said I know I'll not die, it is just that
sometimes a Soul, untested, without trials, held in reserve,
withers away standing up.
'The Pit, ' Soul said quipping, 'was just a stop.'