The Paths of Life and Death

The Paths of Life and Death.
By: Adam Epstein

The Bright lights glows,
I stand but do not know.
Staring at this path,
How will it wind and how will it flow.
It is seen through eyes as a simple walk,
But what’s seen through eyes is not to talk,
The light that glimmers is enchantingly bright,
And I despise the coming of perpetual night.
And as this path with no direction,
Spans across the earth,
It ceaselessly turns death into life,
All while life loses its mirth.
Seemingly made of light and gold,
Through sounds and sights grabs hold.
A hold that grips my very soul,
A hold that consumes what is left of old.
It is waiting for me…
It is waiting for me to be so bold.
To cross into this is a hazard,
As most paths are prolonged a danger,
But this path is the crossroads,
Of choices and mistakes.
The mirage must be eternal,
And a river under the path,
Seared by the blazing orange sun,
Holds only life’s wrath.
The water burns in pain.
And the bridge of immortality,
To conceal its true reality,
Protects the river in gain,
And gives life a mask with no shame.
But the water ascends,
And comes down with pouring rain,
And the life that pours down on the bridge,
Gives immortality much worse names.
Sights, sights, plight, plight,
Here yet, there is another!
A path made of sticks and stones,
And in this direction,
But only from my perception,
Mortality must be my own.
The rocks will cut my feet,
And yes, the blood will flow and flow,
But I will still have places to go,
And that itself is purpose alone.
So sticks and stones will break my bones,
As my eyes will shut with fright...
And mortal fears ignite.
A fire within which can burn and pry,
Through all the fallacies and faults,
Of the words that reside deep down inside,
And say life forever is false.
And in the tips of the flames,
The bridge will wither away,
And the black smoke reveals the deception.
The river keeps flowing,
All the while without knowing, 
That the path over life was a deception and a showing,
And a new perspective set free,
By a temptation of ones danger,
The serpent in the tree,
Coiled all around so he could see,
All off the things that man cannot be,
And so gave the fruit of knowledge to Eve.
So is this path of eternal light and danger good for rest?
Maybe the lies should intrigue me to see,
But words are just the test.
This I said as I walked with new breath,
And this I knew as I walked with my death.
From paths of deception are learned what is best…
With sticks and stones I will rest.
With sticks and stones I must rest.