Draft...or maybe final

Dormant Memories Restored by Determination

I sat.
In a valley just over the mountains.
A dry valley with one small river running through it strait from the tallest mountain.
The glistening water just north of me was the only sign of life.
The only sign of hope for the dry valley.

I looked.
At the desolate cemetery.
A cemetery in the center of the dry valley just to the south of the tallest mountain.
The large monument of the cemetery was the only sign of humanity.
The only tall place for the dry valley.

I sat.
I sat on a rock just to the left of the monument.
Looking right at the river of hope.
The glistening water was gone.
Only the monument stood; a memory of misery.

I stood.
I walked away toward the south where more nothingness lay.
CLAP CLAP CLAP just like thunder came from the north.
I looked back a the river; at hope…as I looked the river seemed to drift farther away.
CLAP CLAP CLAP

I heard.
I heard the clapping.
Louder, closer CLAP CLAP CLAP; the march of thousands of people.
The northern sky grew dark; the monument grew taller to reach the heavens; the mountain erupted in fiery anger lighting the entire valley in flame.
A crash like waves of the ocean filled the air; the voices of thousands of people who in unison proclaimed:

“Do you know me?
I am you. The you you never knew.
I am the embodiment of all you hatred; of all you fear; of all you suffering.
I am your reflection; your fellow self!

We’ve met; we’ve met many times.
You never saw me though; you were to blinded by your selfishness.
You were to afraid to open your eyes to reality!
You never once took the time to clear your mind; to see me for who I really am!

I am the one who has been beaten by prejudice.
I am the wrongfully imprisoned.
I am the person you ignored when I needed comfort the most!
I am the one you fear out of your own ignorance and stupidity!

You always hurt me; you have never loved me!
And in your arrogance you never acknowledged that you were hurting yourself!
You never acknowledged it, but some where you knew your crimes.
Look! Look at that monument! That is your self-hate! Your guilt!

Do you know what I stand for?
Do you know my story of misery?
Do you have the slightest clue of what you have done to me?
DO YOU CARE THAT YOU ARE LOOKING IN A MIRROR AT YOURSELF AS WELL?

I AM HUMANITY!
I AM ALL THOSE WHO HAVE EVER BEEN HATED; WHO HAVE EVER BEEN PERSECUTED; WHO HAVE EVER BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST!
I AM ALL WHO HAVE CRIED UPON DEAF EARS!
I AM EVERYONE INCLUDING YOURSELF!

EVERYONE!
LOOK AT THE MIRROR YOU FOOLS!
YOU’RE SUFFERING TOO!
EVERY TIME YOU PERSECUTE ME YOU STAB YOURSELF !

LOOK AT THE REALITY OF YOU CRIMES!LOOK AT IT!
LOOK AT IT!
LOOK AT IT!

TRUTH!
YOUR FEAR BLINDS YOU!
DON’T BE A FOOL AVOIDING THE TRUTH!
LOOK AT IT!”

(CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP clap clap clap tap…tap…tap tap tap…)

I felt.
The gentle touch of rain.
Cool rain that quenched the fires of the mountain; that returned the monument back to its original hieght.
Light broke through the clouded skies.
The river flowed with water again.

The valley spouted plants.
Tall mighty trees grew along the banks of the river.
Flowers grew around the monument.
All was green in the valley.
The valley lived, filled with restored knowledge.

I turned southward; and started walking toward possible nothingness.