These poems are from a poetry workshop we had at our church. They are based on the Seven Shadows of the Cross: Betrayal, Desertion, Unshared Vigil, Accusation, Crucifixion, Death, Burial.
For this one, we had to accuse someone of something that hurt us. But the twist was that we had to then point the finger back at us at the end. So something that someone did that we also are guilty of.
ACCUSATION
I swore I would not become you
I would never cause my children to live in fear
I would never lead my wife to question my love
I would never betray and abandon those who needed me most
Your rage scorched the earth
Burning away any security we had
Your lust shattered our hearts
Breaking the illusion of parents who loved each other
Your greed crippled our family
Disabling our ability to do anything but barely survive
Your selfishness suffocated your children
Choking out any dreams that required sacrifice on your part
Your prejudice polluted your offspring
Poisoning us to the beauty of the colors all around us
Your indifference blinded those around you
Gouging out their ability to see their intrinsic worth
Your viciousness wounded everyone you knew
Bruising their hearts, battering their bodies, scarring their souls
But when I merely aimed to not become you
There were a million ways to still miss the target.
Which I have done time and again.
I succeeded. I didn’t become you.
But I failed because I became me.
And now my kids have someone to
Aim not to be
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