by James Worthington

Loving is essence and essential.
Yet who can maintain it for their mortal dash?
To love is to give 
And to give is to sacrifice. 
Love and life will require it all. 
Your essence dashed upon the rocks. 
Your life scrubbed raw. 
All that is built,
All that is gained,
All that serves,
Shall be required of you at the dread tribunal
Stripping you of pride and glory. 
O man, it is not yours to take to your cave. 
To give and to love for the dash is the command. 
And life’s failure is assured - 
As much as the yearly cracking of crooked manacles 
Maniacally parades through the shortened days. 
To love is to die. 
To die is to be stripped. 
To be stripped is to be freed, so Janus may return. 
O man, O people, can you love?
Can you love for your narrowly chiseled moment?
The granite void upon which we hang 
It is failure. 
To fail in gain is to sacrifice to love. 

James Worthington was once a clergyman. Now, as a paramedic of deep faith, he sees the world through a theological lens. Hailing from suburban Philly row homes, he resides in the Finger Lakes. He drinks moderately and prays with effort. He is hopeful that life will move himself and others brightly. James can be found at www.facebook.com/AuthorJimWorthington or at work.