Failure stared him in the face Mocking all that he has ever tried to do, Seeking to lead him down the path of regret, That eventually can mature into despair. Leading into the world that is colored ever so softly In shades of grey. Easy on the eye but lifeless and silent, The wrong kind that leads into nihilism. A world in which nothing matters Nothing lasts or is important The man was used to the world of soft shadows Knowing well the dust filled land A drought that chokes out all life, The water of life elsewhere,far distant,that could wash the dust away A place that he knows exist from his younger days when hope flourished, Ideals high and the good sought in a land of bright colors filled with life That is until his weakness and inner conflict became something more real than life itself The wheel has turned many times always returning to this conversation The man knows this place well This time he smiled At the insults slung Finally coming to the point of seeing what failure really is. A simple chance of listening to the right voice And the faith and courage to continue and simply move on. He reached out to whom he knew not The light came quietly; softly whispering hope. The future bright if only his heart turned From mediating upon his failure, toward the light that all should see, the divine presence that is love that brings good out of all things.