A Voice

Sometimes...my writing gets carried away. I begin a short story or poem with a pretty good idea of how it's going to turn out. But by the end...it's usually not how I expected it to go. That's what happened with this particular poem.

Softly.
Peacefully.
It begins.
A symphony orchestra.
You sit in the wings, waiting.
Watching.
On the edge of your seat you perch as the curtain slowly...
Slowly...
Eases open.
A gasp fills the audience.
One of your own can be felt rising within you as everyone stares as one being.
The stage is empty.
But then...
From the back.
Comes a voice.
A beautiful, pure, luscious voice.
It sings...
River deep and river wide
By the shoreline hear my cry
Let time slow down and rain subside
River deep and river wide
Love me now; forever be
Simply singing harmony
River deep and river wide
Kindly hear my humble cry.
A smooth wave of indescribable emotion surges through the audience.
Everyone breathes in as one, letting the music cleanse their souls.
The song is repeated as more sing along, the vocals becoming louder and louder, purer and purer as the choir of voices glide down the aisles.
Women, heads tucked, gowns touching the floor, hair cascading around shoulders...
The white shimmer of their dresses in the darkness.
The intoxicating glow flows through everyone's vision.
All the people...at peace.
Except for one man.
Rising in his seat, he begins to chant.
First softly, then louder and louder, his low voice sounds.
Ocean thick and ocean dark
Bring me back your smart remark
Join the chorus of the seas
Let it be the death of me
Ocean thick and ocean red
Red with anger, death and fear
Dripping crashing scarlet waves
Crushing melting killing ways.
The voices clash and mingle, minor and major, sharp and flat, mystery and doubt competing with love and hope.
The voices blend.
The audience stirs.
For one has rose up
To seize the world.