His cave shell was abused for years
by the laughing vultures.
He was forced to wear a black mask
and hiss the song of solitude.

He flew to space to meet
the phony destiny that imitated the sun.
He looked down at the crying cave below,
for it was a wound of the ugly earth.

And after centuries of sunburnt chains,
he came crashing down with his naked skin.
Nothing on him but the cracked mask that
ate his old face.

Through the cracks he saw
glowing flies that were shaped like fallen stars.
They led him deep into the hollow guts
of forgotten life.

They told stories of diamond
and gold ores that hid in a pile of dust.
They pleaded with him to wipe the ores with
his burnt hands,
so his new face can finally shine.

---

Nehemiah Gaines is a 25 year old student who is currently attending a community college for psychology in Portland, Oregon. As a lover of anything related to the mind and human nature, he naturally puts a lot of concepts of inner life in his poems. He aspires to find his calling in life that is able to put him in a position to spread the message of inner healing. Getting his poem submitted for the first time is only a first step in his bigger aspiration of the message of self love.