The Epiphany

I actually wrote this as a junior in high school believe it or not. I remember it was for an English assignment, but my teacher proudly hung a copy on the wall because she liked it so much that she deemed it worthy to be on display 24/7. Apparently that elusive validation of my writing that I so desperately craved was exactly what I needed to remain inspired enough to keep writing almost 15 years later. Thank you to that wonderful woman and her encouragement.

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"The Epiphany"

-by Nic Long

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Sorrow can’t be drowned with ignorance

I wish we could all get high on some innocence

The vibrant colors of life now stifled

Beggars can’t be choosers, but at least take off the blindfold

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See the torment in their vacant eyes

See the tears shed from those left behind

Far too often I find myself calm and collected

Almost happy, but still lonely, still affected

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These fleeting friends

Acquaintances at best

Life is bringing me down

The weight is crushing my chest

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Preach not today

Wait a little while longer

Until unwilling ears

Are a little bit stronger

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Melancholy tones of regret and despair

Paths are written in stone

Once you accept the dare

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My minuscule life

In the vastness of time

Is like a drop in the ocean

It can play tricks on your mind

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A godless society

Surrounds my godless self

But it seems we could all use the notion

Of a heaven in this hell

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The idea of a god

Keeps our demons at bay

When everything is going wrong

Even the godless tend to pray

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But to say he has a plan

When a loved one dies

Is like telling an injured bird

He will never again fly

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That in itself

Is a paradox of godlessness

No matter what you say

God still acts like a dick

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So to deny his existence

Can lead to nihilistic indifference

Instead, embrace the existential understanding

That everything is connected

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Directly, Indirectly

Confusingly persuasive

But it’s a way to live when you’re godless

In a godless nation

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The difference is this

Ignorance is bliss

But to deny yourself a maker

May kill you in the end

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Or maybe it won’t

I don’t know, I’m just me

But what ME says I do

Because he knows what’s best for me

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Because when somebody dies

A part of you dies

And when someone is born

A part of you is born

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Every flower, every plant

Every animal, every human

We are one in the same

We are easily broken

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You can agree to disagree

But that’s just blatant disregard

Of the miracle of life

Each made up of the stars.