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Poem: “One of Us”

by on May 12, 2011 in Poetry
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One of Us

The old ones saw like us
A great wall rise and crumble
Admit, expel
Barbarity and anarchy
Defend and give away
Concord and stability

But now the wall divides
The human from the inhuman
The creature and the function
The soul from the switch
And it is derelict, a ruin
The dark, not light pours in

From no-man’s land
Things without hearts
Or histories
Triumphs or defeats
But limbs that move
Invade
They have no tongues but speak

Against the wall they come
And through the empty spaces –
Fortify the sanctuary
Obey
The Presence in the tabernacle
He is unconquered
And He is one of us

Pavel
May 9, 2011


Pavel Chichikov is a Washington DC-based poet and photographer. He has written for both the secular and the Catholic press on issues as diverse as Russian nuclear weapons systems, Olympic athletes, and miracles. His books include From Here to Babylon: Poems by Pavel Chichikov,  Lion Sun: Poems by Pavel Chichikov, Mysteries and Stations in the Manner of Ignatius, and Animal Kingdom. Pavel may be heard reading his works on catholicradiointernational.com and on pavelreads.com. His poetry regularly appears on "The Poetry of Pavel Chichikov."