Poetry

By Scott Thomas Outlar

Detoxification

Chaos enters the spaces of stagnation,

not to obliterate,

but to break down what is not working

so the inherent pattern of order

can emerge in a new light,

and the holy path of inward peace

can once again be seen clearly.

The choice to destroy

is not necessarily negative

but sometimes absolutely necessary

as a way to tear apart

a dilapidated structure

so a more solid foundation

can be established

upon which to build

a temple of health, happiness, and love.

Life is not always easy,

but the trials and tribulations

are inherent in the process of progression

as a way to push evolution forward,

and the challenges that naturally arise

are a Godsend of grace

presented to teach the lesson

that we are creatures of adaptation and survival.

Scott Thomas Outlar is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. He now lives and writes in Frederick, Maryland. He is the author of seven books. His work has been nominated multiple times for both the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. He guest-edited the Hope Anthology of Poetry from CultureCult Press as well as the 2019-2023 Western Voices editions of Setu Mag. He has been a weekly contributor at Dissident Voice for the past eight and a half years. Selections of his poetry have been translated into Afrikaans, Albanian, Azerbaijani, Bengali, Cherokee, Dutch, French, Hindi, Italian, Kurdish, Malayalam, Persian, Serbian, and Spanish. More about Outlar's work can be found at 17Numa.com.