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Artwork / Miguel Angel Paredes (TX) / Poetry

Art and Poetry by Miguel Angel Paredes

When I Learned to Understand Your Thorn

As I grew with you, so did your Thorn.
The fun and games under the sun, hand in hand, became painful.
As I held tight onto you, your thorn dug into my flesh; the pain seeping into my soul.
As the pain became unbearable, I closed my eyes, and gritted my teeth in pain,
while my eyes shed tears of blood.
As time passed and the pain grew, as your thorn grew with each passing day,
I wondered if to let go, or uproot you would ease the pain.
But I was told, after you there was no more.
As we grew, so did the numbness to your thorn, till I felt no more.
I forgot the pain, I forgot the happy days we spent under the sun.
I forgot to open my eyes.
As the wind blew, it whispered in my ear: “Let her go”.
People passed by us and whispered: “Let her go”.
I wouldn’t let you go, as I believed you belonged to me.
As I believed, I had control over you.
As I moved my grip on you, a new thorn, a new wound would produce.
I became mad at you and resented you.
As the wind grew stronger, so did her voice, telling me to let you go.
I acceded then and let you go.
As I fell into nothingness, the wind spoke louder, this time telling me to open my eyes.
It was hard, as they adjusted to the light.
The wind dried and cured my wounds.
As the first glimpses of you revealed me the harshness of your thorns,
and the memories flooded my mind and the tears returned to my eyes,
I kept looking at you and discovering all of you.
As I moved my gaze all over you, I discovered something that stole my breath and captivated me.
I could not believe my eyes – such beauty was in front of me.
As I stayed dumb-struck in amazement, the wind whispered to me, to go feel you and smell you.
I could see that all your thorns could not fill in one of your precious petals.
As I felt your beautiful petals, so soft, so delicate to my touch;
as I inhaled your fragrance deep into my soul, it made me float and dance in the stars.
There I could see many like you, but few with such intricate coloring.
Your beauty stood out, as your shades went from bold to soft,
always keeping me amazed and in wonder with your continued mixture of such beautiful coloring.
As I smiled in your beauty, I asked the wind: “Why did I not see this before; why you had your thorns?”
The wind told me: “Look around you.”
I saw many like you, but dried, broken and scattered on the ground,
someone next to each one, kicking the floor and damning the wind.
They had no scars on their palms nor the stains of the tears of blood anywhere on them.
But I looked at myself and saw many.
As my thoughts wondered, the wind asked me: “Which fate do you prefer, yours or his?”
I looked at you and the beautiful things you produce in my life.
I understood then, your thorns protected us, from me.
Without your thorns, I could have not known how to touch you, how to love you, without harming you or destroying you.
Without your thorn I could not have known how to let you go.
As I did not answer, it told me: “It’s your choice, what you do now.
It’s if you live the rest of eternity living this beauty or if you wish to do like those who you saw damning me.”
As my smile was enough answer for the wind, I felt the divine love encircle me,
as tears of happiness erased away any pain from yesterday, and washed away all the stains.
Today this beauty is a gift, not only to me, but whoever crosses our path.
Each day I wake and tears of joy fill my eyes,
as I thank the wind and feel the beautiful embrace.

©Miguel Parades
……
Meztli
Under the gaze of the moon
We promised never ending love
To be one beyond the end of time.

Today I ask the moon
Why then I am here alone
With a shattered being.

Under its beautiful gaze
The lion’s defiant roar
Was heard, proudly defending its love.

Yet, today the lion
Merely howls in pain
Merely a shadow of his might of yesterday.

Under the gaze of the moon
I sit here today
Asking, why it had to be this way.

July 20, 2013

©Miguel Parades
……
The Come and Gone
I never thought after all the things come and gone
I could love even close to my first time.
Before all the pains and disillusions of heartaches
Until I loved you.

Despite all the things come and gone
I gave you all of me
Without retaining anything for me
My heart, my soul, my life
In your hands I placed.

Despite all the things come and gone,
I placed a blindfold over my eyes,
And gave you my hand
For you to lead the way
Trusting you like I’ve trusted no one.

I never thought after all the things come and gone
Today you would form part of the come and gone.

July 20, 2013


©Miguel Parades
All That Is Left Of Me
Baby Angel
Brotherhood of the Condemned
Butterfly for Sheryl
Disney Drawing
Execution – in Collaboration with Carlos Trevino
Freedom
Goda’s Colorful Creation
Guardian Angel
ISAIAH 40 31
Jesus in Different Perspectives
Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemani
Jesus on the Cross
Jesus Did It For You
Magico
Miguel Angel Parrots Best
Monarch Butterfly
On the Via Dolorosa
Perrito
Praying Hands
Psalm 8-3-9
Pure Love
Tigre
Miguel Angel Paredes was executed by the State of Texas on October 28, 2014

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