A new poem: The Guilt of the Locust

I've got some new poetry for you today, written within the last month or so--this one is called The Guilt of the Locust. Enjoy, and please leave a comment if you do!

The Guilt of the Locust

Literal decades wasted
with no justification.
I'm filled with concentrated
guilt, weighing more than
the years themselves.

After all, I was more than just lazy.
I hurled spite and hurtful slurs
at the ones who stayed with me
or attempted to save me from myself.

Time didn't tell me, it showed me.
The ones who then stayed
are the ones who remain,
though I often desert myself.

A wise friend shares a verse--
promising me that God will replace
all the years the locusts ate.
But what is heaven's verdict
when I consumed them myself?
I must shoulder the blame,
do the work it will take,
and swallow the extra pain.

My life still lies before me.
I dig in with sharpened claws,
at last understanding that
the only way to dull my pain
is to take the actions I avoid.

A new poem called Paper Gown and a blog post about how anxiety affected the lives of my partner and I this summer

Poem: Carving Sunsets