Thurman P. Woodfork

NOW I LAY ME DOWN…

Awarded: April 10, 2007When the aching within me mourns in
the uncaring silences of the night,
When unexpressed sorrow escapes from
dark corners of my mind into the light,
When ‘Should I have?’ and ‘Could I have?’
begin anew their damnable play,
Who is there to listen? Who would
pay attention to what I say?
When years of regret and longing rise,
roiling unchecked through my soul,
When all those yesterday-clear memories
run rampant, seething, hot – then cold,
When old guilt and anger reassert their
agitation and once again hold sway,
Who is there to forgive me? Who’d truly
give a damn… if I could pray?