Those voices always called out of darkness br commanding, muted and whispering br so I did not hear them, br what with the pleasant light of day shining round me br and them in the caves of my mind br telling me what to do br what to think and feel. br I was a slave unaware, br so happy in it br not noticing those br who were constantly awake, br making the decisions br so often. br br This appalling view of pressured confusion, br with creatures bullying in me, br sneering and cajoling, br seems like utter darkness, br an end to sanity br but is really br an angered normality br illumined by God br so we see br what has gone on before br all the time. br br And now br while it may seem like a worse darkness br than we have ever known, br a nightmare, br the light that fell with us br shows simply br we are creatures sunk in the mud br of a dark pool br in a king’s forest. br br These murky nights of the soul, br make a story of illumination, br an eternity of acceptance, br in which the presence of God br comes closer than the breath, br friendship more inward than the marrow, br kindness itself, br without which we are condemned br to endlessly br be ourselves.