Renewal

Renewal 

It don’t come as a surprise much no more,
when I find out that I have lost a friend.
Not by disease, accident, or a war,
It's Ideology that brings the end.
At first, I tried to figure out the cause:
How did I offend them to this degree,
that they no longer wish to talk to me?

I had few friends upon graduation,
but we’ve drifted apart over the time,
I accept those, though with some frustration,
and hold dear those memories from our prime…
but those who abruptly cast me aside
like a cheap shoe whose sole has given way.
I will admit that it struck at my pride
that they could drop me randomly one day
without second thought or pangs or regret,
and often without letting me know why
or how it was that I made them upset…
Just an end without even a goodbye.
Those who I must still deal with every day,
they just start giving me the cold shoulder,
icy disdain drips from all that they say,
just one day: Ice, that keeps growing colder…

I only found out through second hand at best,
that the reason these relationships end
is the fire that burns within my breast
to preserve our nation, and this offends
to such a degree they hold me in spite
and dismiss every memory we’ve shared;
nor can they suffer me within their sight,
for it sends them into fits of despair
that a "fascist red hat" should be so near,
that I dare consider this nation mine,
or hold it and my countrymen so dear…
This, my brothers, is how I crossed their line.  

It used to hurt, but I don’t feel it now.
Their ice used to stab deep into my heart,
but I have learned to no longer allow
their foul betrayals to tear me apart.
Our friendships weren’t that important to them,
so thus: they shouldn’t mean that much to me.
I shrug them off to sing my people’s hymn:
to preserve our nation and keep her free.
In the end, they did not like me for me,
with such ease now viewing me with Hatred…
I forget them now, as will history
seeking instead to preserve what is sacred.
Preserving ideals of family and folk,
embracing only those who embrace me,
and taking upon ourselves the great yoke
of re-manifesting our destiny.

  © Jeremy L. Heath, 2025. All rights reserved.