A Confession And A Wink The felon was in his final hour, the executioner readying the scaffold. Inside his cell, a man not of conviction, but a man convicted, was saying his final words to the prison chaplain. Situated across the corridor, another felon chanced to see and to hear. He, too, was one of those who had bet money that the chaplain would only be hearing a partial confession, though, in the end, he had to admit that the confession seemed authentic, including seeing what appeared to be tears of remorse. Suddenly, a guard came traipsing down the corridor, causing the chaplain to turn his head, and at that very moment he missed the wink directed at the man across the corridor from the felon about to be executed. That prisoner across the aisle, about to forfeit his life, had not changed in the least. Still, he continued to ramble on with what would have seemed the utterances of a saint, therefore getting the chaplain’s blessings. Shortly thereafter the felon across the corridor was being led away to his final reward. This time the fellow across the corridor turned the other way, not wanting to chance seeing another wink cast in his direction: one does sometimes want to believe, believe that a man in his final hour had at last. seen the proverbial light. You see, to be on that corridor was to reside were convicted men, all, without exception, awaited execution, each having been convicted of committing the unforgivable crime and so: You had killed someone, and the state was now to kill you in turn - how odd thought a convicted felon, he, too, now soon to be executed...a five-year old, upon hearing that, having asked his mother who, then, might kill the state? To Be Clear We sometimes need to say some things to clear the air, which is not to say it will be easy to say those things. By definition, however, confessions are. meant to set us free from the bondage of self, which is where the most repressions take hold, therefore to be expunged. Once expunged, those things which held us in bondage will no longer. trouble us in the fashion of old. Freedom is a word like no other but freedom is for us to claim by calling. it by name, clearing the air. As Well A Wing That Lacks A Bird Confessions form for he who knows what’s bottled in remains a bane - release as well a river flows around each bend the way it goes to where it will, all right as rain. Impediments to growth are vast and known the self for bogging down; attached too much onto the past we find some things are holding fast, denied, therefore, the victor's crown. Whereas the truth in full is heard resolved the “fix” that otherwise remains a sentence lacks a word, as well a wing that lacks a bird, no freedom, then, to realize. -Richard Doiron ©
RICHARD DOIRON: Canada’s “Peace Poet,” published 59 years; one of the most prolific poets in history, with tens of thousands of poems penned, including over 5500 sonnets alone; estimated 1000 poems published in 150 – 200 anthologies, periodicals, personal books; author of novels, biographical works, essays, and lyricist (with some 200 songs written, some recorded, one internationally). Graduate in journalism and Certified Lifeskills Coach; work read at the United Nations University for Peace, Costa Rica; published in the world book,” Prayers For A Thousand Years,” alongside His Holiness, The Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Nelson Mandela. Participant in local, national, and international literary festivals; 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award winner with World Poetry; 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award with Pentasi B World Friendship Poetry; 2017 nominated for a Lifetime Achievement Award with ARTeryUSA, nominated by James Pasqual Bettio, former senator in the California Senior Legislature. 2019 named World Poet Laureate by group Pentasi B World Friendship Poetry. Twice nominated for Governor-General’s Award and the Griffin Poetry Prize. Nominated to the Order of New Brunswick, 2019. Published on a regular basis, mostly by invitation. Profiled in media, including television, radio, and newsprint on an ongoing basis.
Confessions 