Rebecca

Scarred lungs and earth-beaten legs A girl - now a woman - inelegantly runs Her head hung low, to God she begs An ivory dress speaks of a wedding day done The forest is there, a hiding place waits Her song, the evergreen pines sung Childhood friends and unforgotten days A familiar hoot of a night owl near With closed eyes, she continues to pray In the foliage, a rock should appear Her pleas unanswered, a fall she takes At the base of a tree, the scarlet smears It's a matter of time before she wakes The ghostly laugh of a child Now the glass shatters and breaks Auburn hair, ringlets wild Emerald eyes reflect the woods' past Supple, tender, yet never mild Her own tawny hair, the woman grasps Once again, she turns her gaze to the Lord "Dear Father, but one question I ask What happened to the innocence that I adored? A loss so human, I doubt I should grieve But behold this child, for she is yours Her cheeks, they bloom, and I do weep." With this, she threw her head back and laughed Acidic, sarcastic, she buried her face in her knees Her back bowed, she now felt the gash Blood blossomed, and she arose with a cry The sight before her left her aghast A creatures, so charming to whom she once uttered "goodbye" Illuminated eyes, fur charcoal black Her companion from the days of of fields and summer skies For an instance, dejection, her features lacked Arms dropped at the sinless soul's approach She stroked the raven coat of the cat Gleaming - she beamed - the first glimmer of hope "Rebecca," a whisper, and she knew she'd been found Tears -- anew -- her frame soon shook Sighing, footsteps accompanied the sound And she brought the animal close to her chest If her dreams were to be stolen, she would have to be bound "Rebecca", look at me, for you are blessed." Before her was the man for whom she yearned Again she brought the cat to her breast From the Land of the Dead, he did return And spoke of how she was a woman and not a girl His speech soft and full of concern Rebecca rose, still unsure of this world But with a new conviction as she embraced The ethereal man who shared her curls For the last time, she turned her head to Peter's Gates And whispered praise to God and basked in his Grace