'Open Our Eyes'

Tough subject, but one that needs attention.

Please listen close for my story is true

Terribly tragic, it could happen to you.

About my dear friend who slipped and fell

Head first, into a deep, deep well.

 

He was the happiest man I ever knew

Always ready with a joke or two.

A jovial soul, never a man did he harm

Feeling down, he would always lend you an arm.

 

My friend, he suffered terribly inside

Hidden from those he loved, even his bride.

But, she didn’t know and never once suspected

That her dear sweet man never felt protected.

 

No one could have thought there was anything wrong

He was charitable and kind - mentally strong.

The kind of man, we all wanted to be

Steadfast and honest, more so than me.

 

A God fearing man, always in church

But never finding purpose he continually searched

For That meaning of life so cherishly fond

Until he freed himself from his earthly bond.

 

We huddled together crowded by his grave

And wondered at the man being lowered to the cave.

It wasn’t fair, we all turned instead

And said a silent prayer, each man in his head

 

With his widow in tow, we all went home

Away from that pit that now holds his bones.

We drank a toast to the man we all knew

And set one glass aside so he could have one too.

 

But one lingering thought never escapes me

Why was I blind, unable to see?

My friend was in need screaming in pain,

But I was too busy, wrapped in my own personal gain.

 

And now it’s too late to help my dear brother

But not too late for all the other

People who suffer and wish to be free.

If only we would open our eyes, and SEE.

Author's Note

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

The poem told a real story. I lost two brothers to suicide and no-one knew their pain or noticed.
"And now it’s too late to help my dear brother
But not too late for all the other
People who suffer and wish to be free.
If only we would open our eyes, and SEE."
The above lesson is learn from tear and heartache. Today I pay attention to family and I listen. A powerful write leaving something for the reader to think about.
Coyote

[James]

Thank you. I am sorry to hear about your brothers. A few months ago a young girl who worked for me took her own life and every day I think about what I missed.

We never know what's in our heads, when I sat to write this it was going to be a funny story about a man who fell into a well, but this is what came out, so I kept it.

Thank you for reading and for sharing your thoughts and feeling.

[barleygirl]

(((HUGS))) to you, Coyote . . . despite your tragedies, I can tell you've turned it into blessings, becuz your sensitivity shows very much in your writings. And James, I had a beloved boss whose gay brother committed suicide while I was working for him & I watched how he tortured himself over not seeing any of the signs, so I can only imagine your relentless self-examination (((HUGS)))

[Coyote Poetry]

Hard to understand the death of people so young and a lifetime ahead of them.

[Kathy Van Kurin]

'Open Our Eyes'
James,
I noticed it stated, first two lines;
" Please listen close for my story is true
terribly tragic. It could happen to you.
The whole poem is quite sobering in its vulnerability and reality of our utter mortality. Life is full of great challenge and pain. For some though it is even more so as you have shared. Back to your first two lines...a serious word to not take a moment for granted when we are enjoying life someone somewhere is not. This writing brought to the surface many thoughts and emotions for this person. Some things are just hard to share. Thank you James.
Blessings,
Kathy

[barleygirl]

Very heartwrenching story, told amazingly well in poetry. Your writing, storytelling, rhythm & rhyme are all top-notch. In a few places, you used very original wording: "lend you an arm" . . . "cherishly fond" . . . "lowered to the cave" . . . sometimes when people stretch for a word to get the rhyme, this doesn't work, but in your case, it does work very well. I volunteered for the suicide prevention hotline for 2 years, so I've been tuned in to people who are suicidally depressed, but it's still hard to reach out when a person really doesn't want you to find out (becuz they don't want you to stop them).

[James]

Thank you, Margie. We can never stop wondering if there is something we could have done, something we missed, that's the nature of suicide. Thank you, for you review.

[fergul]

Way of the world bro. Always has been, always will be.

[Norman 223]

How to make a person laugh, and then feel guilty about it. A very clever twist that brought the message home more forcefully.

[James]

I worried that some people may be offended, but it's a message that needs to be out there. Thanks for stopping by and reading it Norman.

[Carolynn]

What a great message James. We get too busy with our own lives and don't take the time to SEE what our friends or family are going through or take the time to talk to them, spend time with them or try to help and support them. I know I'm guilty of that so this is a good message for me to listen to - thanks for that :)

[James]

Thank you, Carolynn. It didn't start out as a message, but I guess it ended with one. I'm glad you read it and we all need this reminder. Thanks again.

[...]

I think you meant glass, not class, on setting one aside. This is a heart wrenching poetic work of art, with so much flow, and so much depth. We never know sometimes, the secret pain of others...we just never know. So sad...

[James]

Thanks for the catch. I fixed it immediately.

It is such a sensitive subject I almost didn't post it and I'm not quite sure why I wrote it. It's not what I set out to do. Thank you for reading and commenting.