Fear of Light

I am afraid of love.

I am afraid of light.

I say this as I walk

between paradise and hell,

my gut writhing with terror.

I choose love anyway,

I choose light anyway,

for the alternative is too terrible to bear.

But my love is frail.

My light is weak.

I have not yet found the words

or the music

to carry each person I love

across the chasm of death to the stars.

I have not yet found the words

or the music

to protect my people

from guns and nooses and belittling jeers.

The stars were created by words and music.

I was created by words and music.

My soul longs for words and music

strong enough

to stop wars

and terror

and despair.

But my love is frail.

My light is weak.

And I am only just beginning

to speak

and to sing.

The Web Projects of Sondra Ball and Mario Cavallini