Target Practice
Translation of Ancient Greek and Hebrew texts have shown that “sin” , in the religious context, means “missing the mark” ,or “not hitting the target “, as opposed to committing a crime, or wrongdoing.
This explains the context of this poem..
Sin and devotion
were always the same to us.
United in oneness.
So consumed by you,
your pawn for sacrifice.
Playing me perfectly,
you took me
piece by piece.
Possession portrayed as affection.
I fell into the fray.
Obsession obstructed my view,
so my fall felt worse.
You made be believe
your beguiling charm.
Veiled by shrouds of your shadows,
Your heart in my sights,
I took my best shot.
Blinded by your bilious eyes,
I would always miss.
I chose to trust you,
Of course I’d missed the mark.
Was I ever on target?
William , tell me !
This is raw, haunting, and deeply honest. Connecting sin with “missing the mark” gives the poem another layer—the speaker’s devotion was sincere, but it was aimed toward someone who disguised possession as affection and made love feel like a sacrifice.
Sometimes we blame ourselves for failing to reach a target that was always moving—or was never truly there. Trusting someone was not the weakness. The deeper wound was losing yourself while trying to prove that your love could reach a heart hidden behind shadows.
That final question carries the grief of realizing that you may never have been given a fair chance to hit the mark. Perhaps the real mistake was not loving deeply, but abandoning yourself to remain inside someone else’s game. Powerful writing, my
Incredibly raw, beautifully written. Thank you.