A Letter and a Rope

A Letter and a Rope

Last Sunday I found a letter in the mail

“To Whoever It May Concern” it said

When inside, I opened it without fail

After reading it’s note, I felt like lead

In distinct and graceful red pen it began:

“My good friend, you know not of me,

And I only wish to propose a plan.

It is only your decision if you agree.

“In this letter is exactly four-and-a-half-

Foot long rope that can hold 240 pounds.

With it, I ask you something on my behalf.

Search the fields of your mind’s grounds.

“Just consider your life, question your heart

If this a choice made by one who lives it?

Have you ever wished to simply depart,

Leave this silly game and just quit?

“That is all up to the reciever of life, but

I don’t think you knew it was a question:

Do you want to live, and if so, for what?

You choose, but I have a small suggestion.

“With life, you accept all coming pain

But anticipate the love and joy of others.

With death, you’ll be free of the chain

But leave everyone: father, mother, brothers.”

The note ended but my head didn’t.

Thoughts whirling in pained speed

The mental agony: is life sufficient?

Is living what I really want and need?

I can’t make that choice in a single day

Single filaments of time shredding the dates

I can only listen to what my mind will say

Come the time of my choices see gates

But I’d come to those gates soon enough, 

Through the letter and the rope’s arrival

My end choice shouldn’t be a bluff

If I really would fight for  my survival

I don’t know my future and fate, nor do I control it

So I set that letter and rope on the mantle overhead

As a reminder to myself I’m choosing to commit

Daily to the land of the living, and not be dead

Reviews

[emacmorgan]

I love how this brings light to the true power of choosing, the power we wield each day. Thank you for sharing. Your poems really make one think.

[JamesTleBourn]

Thank you for the kind words MacMorgan.

James

[Ralph Proenza (Docralph..]

Dark and emotional. Good work, James.
-Ralph

[JamesTleBourn]

Thank you, Ralph. I've been trying to experiment with different, more... unique styles of writing. Thank you again for taking the time to review!
- James

[John the Baptist]

People have gone to jail for doing similar things. The letter can only have come from a psychopath.

[JamesTleBourn]

Either that, yes, or it could be a simulated experience in his head, depicted by insanity. It could be a letter/journal to himself along with a noose he tied a while ago but put away. It is not necessarily an outside psychopath, but the creativity of insanity.

But nevertheless, thank you so much for taking the time to interpret and review my work!
-James