The Stranger

I have reemerged in a coat of dust,
My eyes naked for the first time
In years, can I trust
Myself, do they see me?

Send me a string of pearls,
And a howl under the rainy sky.

He tells me there doesn’t need to be a villain
No adversary in this burning vision.
Maybe the evil is unseen and hidden
Within, an unquenched anger
From bloody times still unforgiven.
A black suit on an old wire hanger.

Bless me under this starry sky,
Wash me in a bloom of smoke.

I still see the cold machinery
A ragged forest beast
Still boiling, still to be unleashed,
Covered up by million-dollar scenery.

Bless me under this starry sky,
Wash me in a bloom of smoke.

I was once again blinded by the lights,
It was once again all a beautiful show,
It felt true and honest, it felt completely right,
See me up here, see me beautiful, not as a shadow
Still struggling, still looking for their next fight.
As I heard it sung in those decadent years ago,
“With all the changes you’ve been through
It seems the stranger’s always you...”

Send me a string of pearls,
And a howl under the rainy sky.

Cher Guevara is from Avon, IN. Over the past decade, they have become a rising force in the national poetry underground, earning critical acclaim for their hard-hitting verse and flooring audiences with their uncompromising live performances. Their work has appeared in numerous rags, mags, and journals throughout the country.