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L
Lonnie
May 03, 2010 ⭐ View statistics (Premium feature)

Last Rites

I sip the bitter, blood-red wine
to wash the flesh-white wafer down
the former, grown on shadowed vine,
the latter made in Chinatown

My sins are many, this I know,
as I kneel before the Cross,
and whisper prayers that come and go
like wingbeats of an Albatross

Commandments broken, one and all,
doing what I had to do,
playing God without His call
for fellow Christians much like you

Now the pendulum has swung
beyond the point of no return,
fires lit while being young
cause an aging heart to burn

and charred by this immortal flame,
my soul can neither eat or drink
forgiveness for eternal blame,
so into Hell I slowly sink

C.  Lon  R.  Bruso
— Lonnie, May 03, 2010

About This Poem

About the Author

Region, Country: New England, originally, now, Macon, N.C., USA

Favorite Poets: Poe, Frost, Bob Dylan

More from this author

Critiques

P

poewriter58

16 years 1 month ago

Lon

Another brilliant write. You had no choice as to what you had to do. You fought for your country As I see this poem from my prospective, it sounds like a serviceman asking forgiveness. I'm sure this will be granted. Also playing upon an idea you have made it a bit difficult for me to post what I am working on at the moment lol and not seem like I stole your idea but oh well I still love you anyway Chrys
L

Lonnie

16 years ago

Thank you, Dear!

Sorry for the inconvenience, but this one had to come out! I thank you for your patience and understanding!
loved

loved

16 years 1 month ago

thy soul

thy soul immortalises poetry its a sin for you To think of hell… there, for souls like yours is no place, if at all there is a heaven it is here it is here it is here So be it. Amen… LOVED BY ONE AND ALL
Seren

Seren

16 years 1 month ago

Dear Lonnie

My grandfather served in WW2 he was a devout man who suffered with nightmares all his life I remember it like yesterday ... I believe god forgives those sent to war ... its an innocents war whichever way I look at it both sides fighting for what they believe is right, in the end no ones right no ones wrong forgiveness was on both our minds by the look of it Chrys ~! I look forward to your new endeavor as your poetry is inspiring love and hugs to you both JayCee x x x ("Quote:-For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.-Ivan Panin")
L

Lonnie

16 years ago

Thank you JayCee!

It often seems like the toughest poems to write are the ones we need to write the most! I very much look forward to all your comments!
L

Lonnie

16 years ago

Thank you Ephraim!

As I have always maintained, No good deed goes unpunished! It is often the same with how we live out our lives! Thanks for stopping by!
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Lonnie

16 years ago

Thanks Indi !

Your opinions and comments are always greatly appreciated! Thanks for coming by to read this one!
weirdelf

weirdelf

16 years ago

I might tease and bait

I might tease and bait christians on this site a lot (for good and sound reasons) but let no-one call me a religious bigot, "Last Rites" is a beautiful, universal poem, Lonnie. I pray that your hell in this life be appeased, and if there is another life I believe you are in no danger. Cheers, Jess, Reprehensibly irrepressible, "the alleged short-cut to knowledge, which is faith, is only a short-circuit destroying the mind." [Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged]
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Lonnie

16 years ago

Thank you, Jess!

Coming from you that means a lot! I know I sometimes coerce your comments in Chat, but it is only because I value you opinion so much! Thanks for reading and commenting!
weirdelf

weirdelf

16 years ago

and I might act grouchy,

but of course I am flattered Cheers, Jess, Reprehensibly irrepressible, "the alleged short-cut to knowledge, which is faith, is only a short-circuit destroying the mind." [Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged]
judyanne

judyanne

16 years ago

beautiful write lonnie

and as others have said - you don't need to ask for forgiveness we all owe you and your fellow soldiers a vote of thanks for doing what many of us could not as i told you before, both my cousins were in vietnam and i know they had nightmares and the one still alive (one was killed at age 29) still does. i take my hat off to you lonnie love judy xxx http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/TwentyMyPrettyPonies.html
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Lonnie

16 years ago

Thank you so much, Judy!

It was a tough time, serving through the Sixties, not only in Vietnam, but everywhere I went it seems! It's good to know that others understand and appreciate! Thanks for stopping by!
M

magics02

16 years ago

Lonnie

As I read this piece of yours it made me think also some of the same things my father has shared with me. I am ever so proud of all our soldiers and this one gave me a tear to my eye. Very good piece Lonnie. Mona xoxo TIME well spent is TIME well lived