Line in the Sand

A pristine beach in morning light  
      beautifully promising  
I walked in trusting, barefoot  
      but I was foolish  
To think it'd be spared of  
      footprints from the overeager  
      litter from the foolish  
      broken glass from my own hubris  
 
I can't trust anything now  
      my own eyes  
      my own mind  
      my own heart  
      my own intentions  
Or can I?  
      But should I?  
 
How long can I choose to hope  
      how many glass shards  
      lodged into trusting toes?  
How long can I keep screaming  
      into the crashing tide  
      to hear what I say?  
How long can I be as I am  
      while those I love  
            burn in my light  
      and still others are  
            too afraid of my dark?  
 
Is it better to trust my own council  
      over the wash of the tides?  
Can the wisdom of my bones be trusted  
      over that of exoskeletons on shore?  
How foolish is it to believe myself  
      over what I'm told I am?  
When will what I say be heard  
      past their barrier of perception?  
 
Whose definition is right  
      expression  
      explanation  
      manipulation?  
What's the difference between  
      dependence  
and  
      trust?  
 
As always one question  
      leads to two  
            or twelve more  
And an answer is worse  
      with exponential  
            question  
                  growth  
 
Yet the answer remains the same  
      Light or Dark?  
      Explanation or Manipulation?  
      Dependence or Trust?  
Simple answer  
      Perspective  
Simple question  
      Who did you ask?              
Am I the one who even needs answers?  
 
Well here it is  
      for better or worse  
My line in the sand  
      its been here a long time  
That first beach was old  
67 million years old  
The line's a fossil  
      atop a crowning cliff  
Nothing new  
      just exposure  
No threat  
      just our nature  
 
But heed my warning  
      written now with care  
Should you fear  
      my nature  
      my depths  
      the heat  
            of my love  
      the darkness  
            of my being  
      the height  
            of my line  
Turn back  
      don't risk yourself  
      I love you, after all  
If you don't trust me  
      to catch you  
      or break your fall
Then stand down
      keep yourself safe
      and don't risk it at all