What If You Died? Poem by RIC BASTASA

i have become
another wretched
creature in this corner
of your
hidden universe
for i, adam like,
have swallowed half
of your
poisoned apple,

tonight my left
hand shall be refuted.
my right
shall protect me
my mouth
shall remain silent
for this
conquer.

there are
inconsistencies of
the self
which the self may
right itself

here you are
telling me that i must
use
my heart this time
having been
tortured by reason
and knowledge
having believed much
on myself
rather than the maps
of fate

i told you
people change that i too
knows how to
and what change is

only this time
when you tell me
that i have had
hurt you
and all these years
you have carried
it
in the carriage of
silence

what if you died?