turning fifty
quick it goes
gifts you get
wished to foes
morning blues
late night news
growing out of
fancy shoes
hot flashes
on a winter day
summer heat
you wish away
wearing shorts
now causing issues
flabby cheeks
excess tissues
food you eat
turns into fat
your stomach grows
your mood is flat
anti-wrinkle cream
no longer effective
the human blueprint
proven defective
day like another
knock on the door
come in she uttered
there he entered
being the director
of a student agency
people came daily
asking her for help
his task was different
he brought her the mail
and then stayed longer
than was expected
without her awareness
his persistence and loyalty
soft demeanor green eyes
that mail changed their lives
his daily visits on his way home
became part of the routine
they would meet there
until he asked her out
walk along the coast
through a cemetery
marked the beginning
of a lifelong bond
ten years into it
they tied the knot
in their living room
committed for real
skip 22 years
their journey has not
been an easy ride
though well worth it
every day can bring
challenges and drawbacks
yet they have one another
to overcome them together
to be continued…
gallop through a prairie
horse white mane
soft morning light
the sun rose up again
without a saddle
free as a bird
bolting wildly
away from the herd
where is he running
what awaits there
devoid of direction
he may not care
joyous movement
through time and space
on his own terms
far from the race
never mind the trophies
now all given up
new sense of freedom
forget Melbourne cup
Why is it that we prefer to read a few pages long text rather than a short poem?
We live in an era where our screen time is measured in hours, when our attention span is limited to a few seconds and when we are generally more attached to the screen than to our loved ones.
When it comes to reading, we often prefer a few pages of text to reading a short poetry.
What reading does
As we read, there is a voice inside our head, which spells out the words in the text inside our head. The thing is, that voice is there if we read or not. However, if we are not reading the voice may often sound like a negative self talk. While we read a written word, either on the screen or in a paper book, it gives us an opportunity to supplement our own self-talk with an alternative material.
What makes poetry such an outsider to our reading time
Let’s postulate here that poetry is hard to read. Is that true?
The hardest part of a poem are the gaps that the reader has to fill.
Poetry offers a helping hand on a journey within one’s mind. That being the mind of the poet, as well as the mind of the reader. There are, of course, different types of poetry, and each poem reflects the state of mind of the poet as they composed the words together.
Poetry is usually succinct. As much as possible is written in the least number of words. The words that are written in a short poem are very carefully selected for their value and combined with the other words to deliver a punchline, or to evoke specific feelings.
Now, the reason we may pass by poetry is that while it does deliver, it first needs our direct involvement. It requires us to feel. To let memories flow freely. The reader becomes part of the poem.
And that can be an unnerving and challenging experience for many of us. To feel, means, to let flow the stuff that is below the surface. That is often subconscious. That is carefully pushed down and protected from being felt.
While most media we generally follow mainly hypnotize and numb our minds into stupor and inactivity, poetry, as if magically, does the very opposite.
However, it may bring up more than our conscious mind wants to digest.
So, are you ready to lift the veil and unlock the secrets of your unconscious mind?
Just beware that the ride may not be what you expect, though it surely will be transformative.
