I have known love
And I have known loss.
I know what it is
To watch the man you adore
Sacrifice himself
On an altar
Of his own design.

More wolf,
Than man.
But oh,
He could be
Like a fragile baby bird
When he wanted
To be held
At your breast.

You could not find him
No matter how much you looked
Maybe a glimpse
Here and there
Of the boy he was
Eager for approval
Eager for love.
Soon replaced
By the mask of the one
Who has made his choice.

And still our souls
Sung to each other
From across the ether
Saying

You wanted to learn,
We tried, we tried
That ancient song.

So now you remain
Each other's greatest lesson
As you cut each other open
And ran from the shadows
You found inside.
They poured out of you
With their dark longing.
And you never believed
There was anything
Love couldn't heal.

But here
Sing the voices
You must leave now
Take the precious child
Tie her to your back
For she is the light.
Let sorrow make you wise
And wisdom
Turn you wild.

Daughter of the sacred path,
Come away now.
Pack the lessons up
Like ancient scrolls
In your medicine bag.
Sing their message
To the vast ocean of time,
Wander in your aloneness
And your grief
And know what it is
To choose life.

- Jenny Wren