Do You Have The Courage?

Originally, this was to be the theme song to my novel The Manningfield Affair. The song is sung by a story character to the Main Character, Johannes Manningfield.

Can you wake up and find

that images in your mind

were nothing but a dream?

Not at all what they seem?

 

Now, do you have the courage

to walk ever forward

and make the past recede?

Put to rest your bad deeds?

 

But then when you look around

at your walls all tumbling down

is it really so obscene?

To still be just a little dream?

 

Suffer not to look behind

at the past you're sure to find

till you see it with open eyes.

You can't let truth render you blind.

 

Don't let your heart feed on fear

of what is lurking there.

For the deeds that you have done,

is pain that's made you numb.

 

Don't let your heart disappear

for truths are ever coming near

about deeds done to you

that made you choose to be cruel.

 

Have the deaths you provided

and the evils still residing,

tainted your soul as unredeemed?

To appear as nightly dreams?

 

And what is really there before you?

Standing there before you?

Plunging your life away?

Did it have to be this way?

 

So now the past doesn't matter.

Life's as faint as the laughter.

Both have slipped into the past

and you can no longer ask.

 

If you ever had the courage

to walk ever forward

and make the past recede,

Could you put to rest your deeds?

 

And if you ever looked around

to see your walls tumbling down,

wasn't it really quite obscene?

To think it only a dream?

 

Now, those left to wonder

can only chance to offer

a solitary guess

whether you did your best.

Author's Note

What thought or visual image, if any, came to mind when you read the poem? How can I improve the flow (or any other aspect) of this song poem? Any advice or comment will be appreciated. Thank you for reviewing!