Sometimes my 18-year-old son, Nathan, surprises me. He balks at traditional education and procrastinates writing for his classes. Then he shows me poetic masterpieces that absolutely blow my mind. The first one that captured me was composed several years ago for a class project. It was about Yellowstone National Park. It’s still one of the best things I’ve read. I’m keeping it forever. Maybe someday I’ll share it here.
He handed me the following yesterday and gave me permission to share it with you. Enjoy.
Midnight comes and midnight goes
He tries to go to sleep but his eyes won’t close
His mind is in turmoil as he tosses and he turns,
He longs for some release but the nightmare returns
No peace can he find in the comfort of his bed
For no comfort can drown out the war zone in his head
He tries to cry out but his mouth won’t open
Desperately he searches for something to put his hope in
He’s drowning in the tears that are streaming from his open eyes
Screaming as his demons escape and start to terrorize
He knows that alone he is too weak to defeat this
Too weak to beat the demons with nothing but his clenched fists
So with pulsating veins and eyes turned upwards
He tries to find the strength to formulate enough words
To call upon the only one who is strong enough to save him
The one whose power is enough to cause the mountains of fear to cave in
And in the suffocating darkness he gasps and he wheezes
His dry throat only able to choke out one word: Jesus!
Now it’s the demons who scream and run away to hide
And he’s filled with such warmth and peace inside
Cause the one who conquered death is there to guard his rest
And the weight of all his fear is no longer on his chest
Now midnight comes and midnight goes
But his mind is finally at peace… and his tired eyes close.
Nathan Reeves is a senior at Colonial High School in Orlando, Fla., where he is a student in the Cambridge Program. In the fall he will be attending the University of Central Florida, Burnett Honors College.
Compelled 