Sitting on the Stairway to Salvation By Jasen Sousa
Sitting on the Stairway to Salvation
Walking on my way to work
I saw a woman sitting on church stairs,
her palms tightly pressed together looking up
towards the heavens, moving her lips lightning quick saying prayers.
She never believed in God, but found herself sitting on his stairs.
Started to believe in a higher power
after figuring out no one down here cares.
I was far away, but I was well aware of what made
her hair gray, I felt her deepest darkest fears.
From where I was standing I heard her sighing, she started crying,
shedding troublesome tears all over those holy stairs.
She was heavily breathing
and wanted with all of her heart
to begin believing.
She was sitting on the stairway to salvation
praying to possess a stress free soul
that wouldn’t give into this earth’s temptation.
Sitting on the stairs shaking, hoping to awaken
from a deep dark dream that couldn’t seem more real.
A lost soul looking to take control of her meaningless life,
I thought to myself and said, “That’s the exact same way I feel.”
I could see the pain on her face and imagined how her insides looked,
mumbling a prayer to once and for all heal,
she was running out of time
and was searching desperately for the Holy Grail.
A journey to the afterlife is long, we wish for someone to watch
over us when it is time to set sail.
I thought about what life does to people,
I pray not to grow up and be in the same position,
how horrible it would be to live through every day of your life
and feel like there is something missing.
I’m sure she has sat on the stairway to salvation before
and got up quickly after realizing God didn’t even have time to listen.
She had on dirty clothes that could never be cleansed, I wonder
if this woman ever had a chance to glisten?
She sat on the stairway to salvation like all of us will at some point,
trying to find a reason to continue existing.
She was heavily breathing
and wanted with all of her heart
to begin believing.
She was sitting on the stairway to salvation
praying to possess a stress free soul
that wouldn’t give into this earth’s temptation.
Whether or not our purpose ever rises to the surface,
or maybe it will stay buried underneath all of our desire?
Trying to please everyone of our bodily needs won’t bring us up
towards the clouds, but down towards the fire.
I am an angel waiting in the wings here on earth wondering
if I’m holy enough for God to hire,
my spirit is turning sour
and is ready to expire.
I found myself sitting next to this woman on the stairway to Heaven,
we both hoped to sit somewhere higher.
Taken From
Selected Poems of Jasen Sousa
17-24
©
Comprised of works from:
Life, Weather (First Collection of Poems Written At Age 17) (Not In College)
A Thought and A Tear for Every Day of The Year: A Poetic Diary (Written Between ages 18-19) (Stint at Suffolk University)
Close Your Eyes and Dream With Me (Written During Early Twenties) (Bay State College)
Almost Forever (Written During Early Twenties) (Bay State College)
A Mosaic of My Mind (Written at Age 24) (Beginning Emerson College)
Walking on my way to work
I saw a woman sitting on church stairs,
her palms tightly pressed together looking up
towards the heavens, moving her lips lightning quick saying prayers.
She never believed in God, but found herself sitting on his stairs.
Started to believe in a higher power
after figuring out no one down here cares.
I was far away, but I was well aware of what made
her hair gray, I felt her deepest darkest fears.
From where I was standing I heard her sighing, she started crying,
shedding troublesome tears all over those holy stairs.
She was heavily breathing
and wanted with all of her heart
to begin believing.
She was sitting on the stairway to salvation
praying to possess a stress free soul
that wouldn’t give into this earth’s temptation.
Sitting on the stairs shaking, hoping to awaken
from a deep dark dream that couldn’t seem more real.
A lost soul looking to take control of her meaningless life,
I thought to myself and said, “That’s the exact same way I feel.”
I could see the pain on her face and imagined how her insides looked,
mumbling a prayer to once and for all heal,
she was running out of time
and was searching desperately for the Holy Grail.
A journey to the afterlife is long, we wish for someone to watch
over us when it is time to set sail.
I thought about what life does to people,
I pray not to grow up and be in the same position,
how horrible it would be to live through every day of your life
and feel like there is something missing.
I’m sure she has sat on the stairway to salvation before
and got up quickly after realizing God didn’t even have time to listen.
She had on dirty clothes that could never be cleansed, I wonder
if this woman ever had a chance to glisten?
She sat on the stairway to salvation like all of us will at some point,
trying to find a reason to continue existing.
She was heavily breathing
and wanted with all of her heart
to begin believing.
She was sitting on the stairway to salvation
praying to possess a stress free soul
that wouldn’t give into this earth’s temptation.
Whether or not our purpose ever rises to the surface,
or maybe it will stay buried underneath all of our desire?
Trying to please everyone of our bodily needs won’t bring us up
towards the clouds, but down towards the fire.
I am an angel waiting in the wings here on earth wondering
if I’m holy enough for God to hire,
my spirit is turning sour
and is ready to expire.
I found myself sitting next to this woman on the stairway to Heaven,
we both hoped to sit somewhere higher.
Taken From
Selected Poems of Jasen Sousa
17-24
©
Comprised of works from:
Life, Weather (First Collection of Poems Written At Age 17) (Not In College)
A Thought and A Tear for Every Day of The Year: A Poetic Diary (Written Between ages 18-19) (Stint at Suffolk University)
Close Your Eyes and Dream With Me (Written During Early Twenties) (Bay State College)
Almost Forever (Written During Early Twenties) (Bay State College)
A Mosaic of My Mind (Written at Age 24) (Beginning Emerson College)