He’ll only open his eyes to see the sun,
Visions of white and The Holy One.
His voice always commanding and sure,
Hides his weakness and won’t waver,
When he says nothing I want to hear,
When he reveals nothing, but his own fear.

She’ll only open her eyes in the dark,
Terrified of Truth’s bright spark,
Cowering from her own voice’s sound,
She only speaks when no one’s around.
Her senses a dreaded enemy,
Too much intensity, Too much honesty.

Flip sides of the same coin,
Seeking solace in ignorance:
One mastering denial,
One masquerading as knowledgeable,
Trying to make life tolerable.

Seeing and hearing and feeling,
Give this world meaning.
They’re fools for deceiving,
Themselves into believing,
That the bad can’t make you better.
It can. But not alone.
Hard work and human connection,
Striving to be more than you
Were the day before,
That makes you better.
Not what you believe –
But what you do.

Jessie Gutierrez