VIII

            After I was left my table friend,

            I walked across the growing-green

            To my Scarlett’s house.

            She grabs he keys, her purse

235     Then walks out the door.

            I follow her to the ride-machine

            Where she says, “Get in.”

            And so I do wandering so

            Where to which she takes me.

240     She drives down a familiar road of which I cannot place

            And then, at once, I realize just where we shall go.

            Scarlett walks around to the passenger side

            Gently helping me out.

            She holds my hand as we walk on the sand

245     Toward the sin-filled-shack.

            On and on, forever it seems

            We walk to relive my past.

            I silently cry for innocence mourned

            While my savior holds my soul.

250     We reach the shack but I cannot go

            Too hard to journey forward,

            But there she is my savior-sis,

            Guided me to my doom.

255     When we enter, it flashes back

All the hurt, the pain, the sin.

I look at her with pleading eyes

Begging for me to leave.

260     But she just holds my hand in faithful band

And guides me further in.

There, in the center of my crashing world,

Is an empty chair. I do not remember

265     For this I know, the chair being here.

Then she says, my faithful-friend, to me and to the world,

“This chair, you ask why it’s here

And this question I now answer.

I came here of Yester Night and placed it in its origin.

270     It symbolizes the fiend who hurt you deep

Of this I am sure. Tell him, my Sara Jane,

Tell him what he’s done. Show him

What he has caused, and tell him

Of the pain, the hurt, the innocence he stole.

275     Let your burdens be lifted and tell him how you feel.”

I look at her and then the chair

Wandering just what to say.

There is so much pain and so much hurt

I don’t know where to begin.

280     Then I know just what to say

To Eric the fondling-fiend.

I tell him of the life he took

And then almost ended.

I tell him that I cry each night

285     Because of what he took.

“I cannot feel, I cannot touch

Another because of you.

You took my world, my everything

And yet you are not punished.

290     Just know you fiend that I do not trust

You or another man!”

I fall to my knees, sobbing hard,

For the release I suddenly feel.

Then Scarlett’s there, embracing me,

295     Telling me it’s ok. This time I know

She is right.  We leave that shack

With new found hope,

Walking hand in hand.