This Poem was Submitted By: Mark D. Kilburn On Date: 2013-07-19 13:33:19 . . . Click Here To Mail this Poem to a Friend!

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Last Spoken Words

Backs are turned all that's heard are our trails of lies hidden between the thinnest lines and misread minds die a violent death. Enough time unwinds until  you find yourself alone,      alone is better than being left lonely. Teach me wisdom more powerful than the strongest undertow- I face the wrath of math unjustified time spent forever lost in darkness I'll not forget always placing last life's spinning too fast, as I face that mathmatical wrath... My words echo endlessly as if in a black hole no one hears  my words fall on deaf ears If I could rewind  or reset I would my actions have caused reactions. Poor decisions have left me hanging stranded without a plan or net where may I turn with no place to stand will my choices make me  less or more of a man? Is it the walk or the talk  or how we stand, is it found in scripture etched in stone or  scratched in sand? Broken hearts do not always mend some stay broken others mend misshapen. Where is my path home? I know the imperfections  of my own reflections body and soul bound by the mind peace keeps us from total collapse. Sand withstands omnipotent forces of ocean and tide freedom so sweet a dream what does it truly cost each individual? Try standing in quicksand the power of lies consumes the strongest of minds; imagine how they devastate the weaker ones. Such pain see's many of us selling souls for little more than false hopes, false idols,  or phony dreams. Low self-esteem erodes our minds, even warriors are teased and tormented by temptation! Patience and frustration are strong opposites, the latter destroys the former. I am the patient warrior my will and determination will not be shaken for I know my journey has barely begun only I know which way to turn for it is my journey, my destiny... God's hand has found   and gripped me tightly I feel peace waiting for me as my mind turns the page leaving my past where it lies, and belongs, behind me. Defined by my rough rutted roads I'll use the power of change to rearrange both body and soul realizing my final destination. True peace and rest come only with death but death comes to those who've fulfilled fate. We all must push on and finish but only at our disparate paces why waste energy seeking and searching for that one thing that can only come naturally? How do you rewind lost time? You can't and you don't. So do not waste a drop of precious time, life is so short, fluid yet permanent, negativity only makes it shorter. Gehrig Donald Kilburn April 2012

Copyright © July 2013 Mark D. Kilburn

Additional Notes:
This was the one and only poem my son was ever able to write. I edited it for him since he was killed by a drunk driver a little over one year ago. It came to me in a letter form that was handwritten on 8 pages of paper. I only edited it and did not change any of his words, just cut it down a bit with what I considered the highlights of this long letter. It was all written in this same poetic form that you just read. I continue to be amazed at how prophetic his words were and are and admit to reading it over and over again, I find it simply to be a wonder for me. I also admit to feeling a tad bit jealous comparing it to my first poems well I can't compare for his work is light years ahead of my early stuff. I can see that if he'd stuck with it, he'd have surely surpassed me and in a very short time, and I wanted to get him started here at the poetrylink but he passed too soon for that, this is why I am entering it (Finally) now. Of course I mam biased so I wanted to get a little feedback on what others thought of his first ever poem, unfortunately there won't be another, I cannot change anything for that reason but would love to hear if others find it prophetic. Lastly, he wrote this during the worst time in his life, he sat in Denver County jail for forty days and forty nights, just like Jesus, and then six weeks later like Jesus he was crucified, killed by an habitual drunk driver who was only 20 yrs. old and here working illegally. Both of Gehrig's families could have bailed him out of jail at any time but we unified and practiced what we thought would be best for him, tough love. Then after 40 days and nights, he turned his entire life around for the better, he'd signed up for school to study clean energy technologies and completely distanced himself from bad influences. It was similar to watching the most beautiful flower open up and start blooming. It was his finest moment. I feel his poem is beautiful anyway but to know that this was written by a 23 year old just a few weeks from dying makes it absolutely amazing. For those interested the courtroom experience was so much worse than his dying and the funeral that I could'nt believe it. We have a legal system but we no longer have a justice system. Finally, again I merely corrected some spelling mistakes and took what I thought was his best stuff, I merely edited it and all the words and phraseology is written by Gehrig, and it is his very first (and last) poem.


This Poem was Critiqued By: Joe Gustin On Date: 2013-08-04 10:35:36
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 1.00000
I can't imagine your pain and sence of loss. However you have a poetic piece of him that will always be there. The poem shows that he held great promise as a poet. there are so many phrases in this poem that i would not have expected from one so young. A sad poem yet so hope filled as to be very inpireing. Thankyou for share a piece of his life and beliefs with us.


This Poem was Critiqued By: DeniMari Z. On Date: 2013-07-20 12:44:30
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 1.00000
My heart goes out to you Mark as I grieving parent I understand how important this poem that he wrote is to you. My son's last written words were on a "Fire News," writing board on his refrigerator that read "If We Could Only Make Them See", a bit on the prophetic side as well. I don't believe in the justice system anymore either - they'd be better off flipping a penny for heads or tails - with the arrogant, oppositional way of resolving matters. His poem has so many beautiful verses in it - There is a strong "in retrospect" feeling through it of what he should have done differently yet wisdom far behind his tender age which makes me believe even with his issues he was very observant of life itself. Again as a grieving parent I pray you do not guilt yourself over your choices I truly can see in this write that he had thoughts and his thoughts were of the afterlife - and how important life is. "Tears", prayers to you & yours. This was an honor to read and a wonderful tribute with cherished life memories to hold tightly on to. God bless you & yours, Deni
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