My 6th Sense
*inspired by a reading of The Scarlet Letter, where the main character describes how, because her affair was exposed, she all of a sudden can discern the wrong in other people as if it's an extra sense. She is described as being able to judge beyond the smirks and gossip of her supercilious peers and see that they're not much better than she is, and that it's but a matter of time before they get exposed and shamed like she did...
I acquired a sixth sense when my sin was exposed
And how to use it, I've yet to know
But it's an awareness, some feeling or sight
That makes me see as the souls of men fight
I wake up each day, and others can see
My sin that was exposed publicly
But in their eyes, my sixth sense discerns
The sins that, like hell-fire within them do burn
I look around as people ridicule
I'm a pillar of shame, a bastard, a fool
Formerly dear friends now whisper my name
If but to disparage, but to defame
But my new sense of sight, or feeling or smell
Is a form of sense that helps me to tell
That I'm not alone, I have many companions
Whose sins are yet to be seen or abandoned
Silence is worn on the face of my foes
Who know they're in wrong; and that I'm not alone…
I see in their eyes, the pain I once suffered through
Morning in tears and nighttimes in stew
Men celebrate their discovery of my sin
But now I'm blessed to see what they hold within
No longer do I see my condemners, my judges
But I see their souls' closets, their own sins, their grudges
From men in power, to a man on the streets
I see the transgressions in all I meet
Who, looking my way, see that I recognize
A man of integrity from a man living lies
No sinners can hide from me very long
I discern quickly, and I'm rarely wrong
And when our eyes meet, no matter where
There's a knowledge in each and we're both aware
Though I was put away, to live as if in a room
There are others around me who too share my doom
Who live their lives in hypocrisy
Who, through closet bondage cannot live free
This odd discernment is uncommon to man:
Some unearthly awareness that evil's at hand
Imparted through sympathy, or a look from the eyes
Some sin is leading a man to demise
It makes me look twice, as I walk through a crowd
At the knowing look in the eyes all around
I have a friend there, or he's sinned like me
Or her lifestyle's lived in regret and misery
My eyes see through souls, my thoughts hear their voices
I smell their demons; feel the pang of their choices
I taste the blood from homicides forbidden
That I see on hands; to me it's not hidden
When I sleep, their faces emerge in my head
As I dream of them living, and then of them dead
People see my wrongs, and I see theirs
But they have no clue, they're unaware
My sixth sense works so well, sometimes it scares me
How I can discern those who, like me, are sinning
Those who do wrong behind their closed gates
And emerge with their cloak of snoot, perfection and hate
Emerge from your closets, you workers of doom!
Your sin's no good inside your heart's room!
Confess and be free, don't let wrong condense
Lest it give soul to my new sixth sense…