'The General' Poem by NiQi Deveaux

Excitement turned to a stinging of every breath
Life passing me by with each heave of my chest
So much to be done, so much to be said
Weighing heavy like mud inside of my head

I can't even think more but the rawest of thought
In a Web of old patterns my intelligence caught
To form a sentence from a string of words sewn together
Might be easier if I wasn't so under the weather

The sickly feeling I've got in my stomach, so real
Go general? Yes dear. Right now I don't want to feel
I dip low for a second, and The General calls
I heed and fight, tiredly holding onto walls

That I've built when I was flying so high on my life
So long since I've battled these words, now their rife
With old patterns and mem'ries that I'd chained to the floor
But it seems they'll not stay, on the floor, anymore

Guess it's time to revisit, deal with em once and for all
Caused me to trip, and I stumble, til I finally fall
So familiar, but nasty, don't wanna touch them for long
But I've forgotten the words to my blissful life's song

They evade me though they're on, the tip of my tongue
Make me so feathery light, not my age, I feel young
I float on them through days, over puddles of mud
Not a spot on me ever, now I've dived in hard, with a thud

Can you ripple mud just like a still pond of peace?
Oh yes, yes you can.... And it's deep as the sea
Not like quicksand so fluid, thick smelly and rough
Scratches my skin, but never did... When I was tough

I've softened my heart, then my mind opened up
Anger, depression through life showed me I'd had enough
Could not do it no more, not even just one more day
I'd battled, come out bloody, but found a wonderful way

Of being nil, void and nothing, The General's order
To define my desires, set up lines on the borders
Of lines I shan't cross cause I want to sail high
The General's my best friend, breath deep, and sigh

The General won't waiver, guards all I fashion in that state
No worries, no trouble, no assumptions or hate
And I know it for sure, just wait for troubles retreat
So the first step to relief is under my feet

Then I'm off the next joyous, glorious ride
With the knowledge that source is right there by my side
Calling and beckoning for me to come see
The expanded version created, of a new wonderful me

All I've become through the contrast I live through
So I can say perfectly, words, that resonate true
About love, peace and joy, like the hippie I am
Now I rise, take that step, The General says that I can...


N. S. D.