I See the Light

By Jen Selinsky

"I See the Light" is a collection of poems which were written, largely, during the spring of 2001. Some of the works contain themes of spiritual hope and renewal.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jen Selinsky
• Release date: Sep 20, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370450848

Jen Selinsky

Jen Selinsky was born in Pittsburgh, PA. In 2003, she earned her bachelor's degree in English from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. In 2004, she earned her master's degree in library science from the same school. Jen has worked as a professional librarian for over twelve years. She has published more than 170 books, most of which contain poetry. Her work can be found on the following sites: Lulu, Amazon, iTunes, Kobo, Barnes & Noble/Nook, Smashwords, and Pen It! Publications. She has also been featured in publications such as: The Courier Journal, Explorer Magazine, Liphar Magazine, and Indiana Libraries. Jen lives in Sellersburg, IN with her husband.

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I See the Light

Jen Selinsky

Copyright © 2007 by Jen Selinsky

All rights reserved by the author. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission of the copyright holder.

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Cover Art Copyright © 2008 by Travis Potts

ISBN: 9781370450848

*Not every poem included in this book is dated in chronological order. This is not an oversight on my part. Rather, I have made changes and substitutions over the years.

-J.L.S.

Please tell me you’re not leaving

Because I want to spend my

Restless nights with you.

In the jungle and around the world—

We can never be apart again.

The seed is sewn, and my love

Has grown—now take my hand,

And give me what I need.

There is no escape from the private life;

There is no escape from the night.

Just think of me as some kind of

Nocturnal deity who is here to give you

The ultimate pleasure—

At your command but commanding you

As well.

What can be held against me for

Wanting to make you scream?

You let me in your dream and

Gave me the rights to your soul,

But I cannot take the whole package.

Lest, I’ll be devoured.

9/10/00

I have to make up something

For all the things I have taken,

But I don’t know how long

It’s going to take to replace

All these things.

Sometimes, I feel that it has been

So long before my mind has

Produced anything useful; it’s

As if my words are all the same

And that I can’t come up with

Any new material.

Just like the blood in my veins

Is standing still, causing my skin

To grow pale and cold.

Perhaps other priorities have

Taken control, thus leaving

My body thinner and my mind

As vacant as a live person’s tomb.

I don’t know if I still have it in me,

So why should I even bother?

1/7/04

You gave me something

On which to focus my mind,

And I cannot say that I’ve left you,

But I haven’t always been by your side.

Don’t force me to make any decisions

Because I have not considered the circumstance.

‘Tis the time of my life when I have

The last moments of any fun, and you

Want to take that away from me?

[And] I’m here to remind you of

What an individual I am.

Oh, will you take my word for once

And give me credit where credit is due?

We’ve had enough of your mocking atmosphere,

And it’s time that you were through!

At a distance, your villainous eyes are slanted;

They are making more room for evil, I presume.

10/18/00

My mentality has

Left me some years behind,

But what am I supposed to do

As I’ve finally reached my prime?

Ironic how many years I’ve waited

To reach the point to which

I’ve finally come.

And never was I so fast to go

Back to where I came from!

However, no blame can be placed

On those whom I love.

Hold thy tongue, it’s all in a

Manner of speaking.

And maybe things shall be

Much better this way

For an innocent frame of mind

Is a wholesome place in which to stay.

The mind of the adolescent speaks again.

10/18/00

What an extraordinary vision

The Lord has given to me!

I thought I had lost everything

I lived for, but my tears

Have been wiped away.

Miracles are performed everyday

In which the lost are found,

And the blind can see.

I put my hand on his

And feel the smoothness

Of his skin.

Two hearts beat as one-

No pain is through within.

What, child, has brought you to my side?

Put away those tears now; do not cry,

For I am here. Hush.

See that, another image has

Drifted on by.

You can safely watch its passage

From the other side of

The ocean.

All will soon reveal itself

Before you have to make

Any decisions,

How the green eyes do sparkle

And reflect from the ghostly sheet.

Stay here, no one is left to harm you.

10/18/00

The clock on the wall

Has been destroyed by a

Force of opposition.

Prey, Prey, Prey.

Oh, pray for the fighting to be done;

But it is not by any means.

What’s exploded as

An external force

Can never be resolved right away.

The hands that used to point

To the time were simply atoms,

Now to the smallest degree—

A destructive tendency.

Pain shall overrule us all,

When the bomb in

Their mind explodes.

Did you have a rough life;

Was your existence all too drab?

I know nothing that could have

Set you off, except the audience

You received.

Now I know it was cruel of them

To tear up your values,

But why make us suffer in the

Case of your approval?

How rash and unfair; I bring this

To an end.

10/18/00

Disturbing even

The smallest of things

Can lead to an outrage;

Enough damage

Has been done.

The rich get to have all the fun

And throw their money around,

Whilst I still rot here.

The world keeps

Turning, and I still

Owe a due?

Is there no one here

Who even had a clue

As to what freedom can mean?

I’m about to go mad

By looking at my

Own two hands, just at

The strange philosopher.*

Whatever became

Of that man; did he

Fall out of a mechanical

Wagon, or was he

Buried in the sand?

Long lives are ahead of me, but I’m not

Too sure