I am But a Man

[Joseph Didis]

I agree that this reads sort of like a prayer, which I think is quite neat.

I am but a man,
do not let me see the monsters,
the ones who were left to rot.    The first time I read this, I thought it was a little hard to think of monsters left to rot, but the more I think of it, the more vivid the image of rotting corpses, still alive, stuffed away, hidden, becomes..Nice beginning.


I am but a man,
do not let the cold grasp of sorrow,
with its hands ever reaching into my heart,    I think reaching implies an outside entity, so "reaching for my heart" maybe?
reap my freedom and will like the crop of souls.   Nice stanza.


I am but a man,
do not let me see the hatred,
those who have seen it with their lifeless eyes,
boring into mine with chisels and hammers,      
sculptors of despair, with nothing to weep for.   I like the imagery of this stanza. To me it sound like seeing hatred bores and sculpts the eyes, I think it might make since to make a "soul" reference..As seeing hatred would sculpt the soul, leaving those who have seen it with lifeless eyes. The eyes are the windows to the soul etc.


I am but a man,
do not let me feel Death,
his skull grinning as he devours,
taking those who have done all wrong,
those who have never seen the light of day,
consuming all, with nothing beyond his reach.   This is my favorite line. 

Since nothing is beyond the reach of Death, it might make sense to not only refer to those who have done all wrong and never seen the light? It takes everyone, no man can escape Death. It might be a good place to open up for who/what the poem is addressed to allow you to live a life free of the the sufferings you mention earlier, so that when death comes for you..."

I am but a man,
do not let me see the darkness,
do not let me lose the dying light,
I am but a man.  Nice stanza to end with.

Thank you for sharing this poem