The time has slipped away, fallen as
water does, to the sea we cannot
grasp or fathom, and only ghosts
of these moments can return.
The time has slipped away,
moments run out, ghostly
remainders falling fathoms
down to the sea and darkened water.
The time has slipped away,
darkened seas beneath us
as we fly beyond the remaining fathoms,
ghostly as moments in dreams forgotten.
The time has slipped away,
forgotten as dreams upon waking,
unfathomed remainders of flight
below seas, darkened with
the eternity of yesterday,
and we turn and turn back,
looking in the shaded direction
of these abandoned beaches
before going onward
into the golden dawn.
5 comments:
Another very special and insightful piece. Time, does, indeed seem to be slipping away at a speed that's sometimess daunting. I particularly like the way that this poem tips it's hat to the past, while anticipating the promises in the future.
I like the way this poem spirals around, like so much in life, without ever quite repeating itself, but still looking back, referencing its forward movement by what has gone before, ghosting itself as it were. Happy New Year, to you! May the new year bring you much joy and creativity, Patrick!
I like this poem a lot. I especially like the first two verses. The simplicity of the language serves to highlight the lyrical phrasing.
I like this! What is past has passed beyond our influence but we remember still. Even those memories will fade and shimmer, becoming less distinct, but perhaps more perfect for us.
Doc,
Thanks. I guess that's all you can do--tip your hat to the past and turn to face whatever's next.
MB,
I'm not sure if I cribbed this structure from a preexisting form or just thought it up one day, but it basically "retells" each stanza and adds one primary concept. It allows the same words to be used, but in the opposite order each time, so that there's a sort of surreal quality about the whole thing. I'm glad you liked it, and sorry I've been primarily away lately. No excuses, just shoddy blogging on my part.
Rachel,
Glad you liked it, and glad to see you over, though I've been remiss on my visitation of yours and other blogs I enjoy. See above for some of my thoughts on the form.
Bobby,
They say that now is the only thing you're promised. The past is a dream, the future a theory. It's tough in "civilized" culture to grasp that--we always brood on what's happened already and dream about what we'll be able to do one day, when things straighten themselves out.
Thanks, everyone, for coming over. I'll try to come up with some sort of post in the coming few days.
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