songbirds twitter within the acoustic enclave of my mind.

only when I've galvanized myself with the looming shadow
of nothingness,
a dark initiative,
something life-denying
and yet
spoken loudly to be spoken away
do I learn the language of redemption.

only when the darkness is embraced
can one gaze beyond its shoulder,
ready to climb the next mountain
and descend into the next valley
with no recrimination
towards the you in you
that's hurting
**you.