CONTENTS

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Afterglow - Home
Cover Page

Introduction
Background Info.

Tas. Peace Trust
Aims, etc.

T. Ritchie
Simpleness

J. Richardson
Sarajevo Madness
Sorrow & Pain
Act of Love


E. Janssen
Sweet Dreams 1
Sweet Dreams 2
Cognisance
Ahuriri


C. Kirkpatrick
To Thich Nhat Hanh
Old Peace Offerings
Spider


A. Bassett
Dawn

M. Haines
Shadowed Martyr

J. Austin
Pax Pacis

D. McMaster
Peace & Tranquillity

J. Parker
The Stirring

SHADOWED MARTYR

It was your choice of martyrdom, your christianal suicide,
open armed pulled through the gaping holes of light.
The invitation taken out of proportion, a black soul
invaded by your grail.
A bloated heart explodes into dust, imperial seas
drown your body and cry out for the drained.
Cool winds blow your spirit over me, I shadow myself
with fear,
but I am not afraid.
You are smoked by the clouds around you,
tortured and weak you stand above me,
like a soldier so strong and brave, hiding in
amongst the night,
you cry for the return of your life.
Pityness aboards me and so I reach to touch, but I am
shivering within a powerless source
of energy.
I feel you draining me of my soul, but you can't take it,
Jimmy won't let you steal.
I snap away, you crawl to my knees and I kiss your
tears before walking into the light.
I turned to say goodbye, but you had already
found your underworld.

(c) Melissa Haines

BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS

Melissa Haines was a student at St. Helens District Highschool when she entered this poem in the "Afterglow" competition.

"Shadowed Martyr" was written when she was 16 years old.