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Gently Stirred
whisper a crack of dawn
so softly into my ear
gently that only depths
of my soul can hear
let those words echo
their light around this well
where only your voice
can sprout life with it's spell
worn texture of lined bricks
made places for patient seed
that found their long way home
way down this deep
by getting truly lost
and stumbling into my depths
just as I blindly ran
into them in unbridled youth
thinking I was merely
running out into a flowered field
places nearly directionless
is often where our paths are revealed
so whisper a crack of dawn
so softly into my ear
gently that only depths
of my soul can hear
let those words echo
their light around this well
cause I know your voice
brings new life with it's spell
Always amazed by your
Always amazed by your intuitive skill for manipulating words so that they dance to an almost ethereal tune. Your depiction of spontaneous love that transcended time and even space—a "directionless" motion that revealed a higher plan—was absolutely inspired. Every line is a treasure, but that stanza was the sweet spot.
Impressive in its scope of insight, power of emotion and sorcery of language. A marvel.
This is a very beautiful
This is a very beautiful poem, but the center of its gravity and of its dynamic power is in the lines "places nearly directionless / where our paths are revealed." That is a very wise, profound, and insightful statement, and it expresses an experience that many of us have had, but few, if any, can articulate so succinctly. I think we, as human beings, tend to panic when we enter a place that seems, to our limited perception, directionless; but there is a life-mapping not known to us that gives to every place a direction, whether we can discern it or not. As a metaphor of this, I think of the BIblical account of Moses (which I happen to accept as accurate) leading the people of Israel out of Egypt and into the very daunting, frightening desert. Yet, for all their panic and grumbling, they never missed a meal, and never went withou a cup of cold water to drink. The Scripture even says their shoes did not wear out, despite forty years of wandering about. There never was a lack of direction; the Director was always nearby. So, as your very fine poem points out, in the directionless places are paths are revealed. Thank you for reminding me---if I may add a personal response---that even in the midst of this physical deterioration, which seems to show no sign of improvement, there is a pathway forward on which I will be led.
Starward
Thank you for both your
Thank you for both your compliments, and sharing your personal related insight. What you speak of, in a sense, actually played out in the writing of this poem. In what perhaps could be considered a positive form of "self-fufilling prophesy" - quite an instantaneous one, actually - I wasn't exactly sure where this poem wanted to ultimately go until the moment I wrote those two lines. Then the path was clear. That dawns on me, reflecting back, now that you've highlighted those words. At the time, while sensing that those two lines were at the heart of Gently Stirred, I did not recognize that I was playing out that very found direction (of the pen).
While not necessarily viewing the bible as you do, I grew up with it, and I do find value in many of the stories. I hope elsewhere that I have not portrayed otherwise. I do sometimes critique virtually any given viewpiont, but other than honing in on inhumane behavior, I only try to highlight when contradictions or hypocrisies come up (as, it just so happens, I did in another write I just completed called "The Second Coming of Noah's Ark", which was in part about the irony of a friend mocking people for believing in great, destructive floods, but just a few minutes later telling me how a great climatic flood was coming to drown us all - back when I lived in Nyc). Hopefully to also increase my own self awareness in the process. Anyway, I think Moses and the Israelites in the desert is a great example of "finding out when we get there". It helps to be prepared, when ever possible, but there are times in life where we need exploration into the unknown. Spiritually, as well, I do believe we are often guided to these places, especially when we are open to it. The greatest, most vast unknown, I imagine you'd agree, is contained within.
I do wish you well with what ever ailings time may be bringing, but I'm glad you are seeing in your life that the path continues, no matter what. I believe the path of existance is a long arc and like that of a rainbow, the appearance of ever reaching it's endpoint is only a visual illusion.
Beautiful
I commend this pretty little poem.
bananas are the perfect food
for prostitutes
Thank you, Dalton. Glad you
Thank you, Dalton. Glad you found it so : )