And, Life, is a foxhole, retorts the mystic.
My Life is thinking of me, again
and wondering …
whether I care for it
what it means to me
and what I make of it?
It fears that I take it
for granted
It worries how I spend it
or save it
with whom I share it
It knows I do not know
all that it knows
that I forget what I do
but, it shrugs this off:
another lover’s quarrel with the world
For, at heart, it is certain,
I cherish it as sacrament
and when we think of one another
it feels like harmony of the spheres
or rubbing shoulders with Destiny.
© Yahia Lababidi
This is my entry for Day 31 of @d-pend's The 100 Day Poetry Challenge. If you're looking to develop your skills (as a writer or Steemian) and discover a sense of community, please, consider joining Steemit School on Discord
You’re impossible. I need to stay away from your blog — I’d be pondering everything from the sun, the moon to the plaster of my wall...no time for that. :)
This piece...it flows so easily through my mind, I actually didn’t even take in its meaning the first time. Just listened to the words weave smoothly by. There wasn’t a word to make you pause or was jarring. So I’d say it was more a caress and less a rub with Destiny’s shoulders. But wouldn’t it be nice if we all did arrange ourselves as a harmony of circles. Each with our own place, our own unique space within, even as we gently jostle and bump and interact with each other, while still fitting in our rings within rings. The end result is this harmonious well rounded thing called ‘Life’. So loved everything you did in this offering. Effortless and beautiful, it seems almost too easy for you.
Strange, mixed response... It seems once you overcame your resistance (to thinking), you quite enjoyed it.
I suppose this, too, is the role of poetry—to make us consider what we might not, otherwise. Gratifying to hear piece flowed, it’s good when words don’t draw too much attention to themselves and appear almost inevitable, or invisible, so they might lead us to our own inner dialogue...
I assure you, though, it’s neither effortless nor easy for me. This line by Mark Simpson, describing the graceful style of a heroine of mine (Susan Sontag) sums it up best:
I’ve yet read a piece of yours I don’t enjoy because they invite me to take an interest - so I want to be clear on that.
My resistance is mostly fighting ‘time’, but yes, I’m naturally resistant to critical thinking, philosophy, and pondering on the deep and meaningfuls of life. Which makes it quite problematic when you wish to write a meaningful novel. :D
Realizing I have a problem, I challenge myself to connect with poetic works. I love how some can compose and chain together words to make a prose/verse beautiful such that you want to relate. But a lot of it doesn’t work for me and maybe it’s because I’m too literal. Even when it does, it’ll be no surprise that I’m off on a tangent, feeling and visualising stuff that was in no way related to the poet’s original visions. Thankfully, that’s okay in poetry. I’m glad you don’t reply with, “Have you lost your mind?” Hehe.
So please keep up the vigorous peddling while maintaining an effortless grace for all to read. As always, no need to reply. I am a fan or else I wouldn’t be commenting. :)
For, at heart, it is certain,
I cherish it as sacrament
and when we think of one another
it feels like harmony of the spheres
or rubbing shoulders with Destiny.
Ahhh ... so nice and so good to have you back. This piece started so rational and removed and then slowly built to an emotional-filled crescendo. It gets a real and poignant reaction. That is good penning. Bravo:)
Bless your heart, Pryde, for your close attentions (sometimes, the reader reveals the poem to the poet, this way). I believe there is aparalysis of analysis that accompanies a strictly rational approach to life, permitting doubt and other negative ways of being. But when we surrender to the heart and allow ourselves to be guided by the spirit, we enter a more profound--and strangely impersonal--dimension... <3
That is so true ... rationality ... which I am fan of ... taken to extreme in the human mind leads to neurosis. We are both rational and emotional beings. Balance is what gives sanity and contentment:)
Amen, our lives are balancing acts.
_/|\_What the ... that was absolutely epic man.. it really kept me on the edge and made my heart jump on a couple of occasions - Impressive with such a short piece!
A true master man... I love this.. the style, the wordplace, the arrangment, the delivery and the underlying sentiment I found in it..
Thank you!
With Love
Hart Floe Poet
♥
It's your enthusiasm that leaps off the screen, thank you, @Hartfloe :) I'm not vain enough to believe all that (epic is other things) but I'm glad you found the poem rousing.
With gratitude
_/|\_Oh my goodness, I love this one! This is one of the few times I see you asking questions v.s. posing solutions/images. It's so back-and-forth and conversational and accessible. I love it! I already said that. :P
Thank you, for that enthusiastic reader response, dear Caleb! Sometimes, that’s the best we can do — ask questions — and leave an open space for answers ... from ourselves and readers.
I’m glad you enjoyed it 🤓
Well Yesterday @wwf wrote an article who am I? and after reading the blog i came to know i am not a person nor a man but a spiritual being. So, yes i would reply to my life by saying that i am a spirtual guy who spent his life by promoting peace all over :)
Thanks a lot Yahia for the amazing poetry :)
Thank you, for your thoughtful reply, Salman, and the introduction to @wwf. Yes, I, too, believe we are spiritual beings and that we are happiest when we are serving others and promoting peace.
_/|\_Here's a quote that's been on my mind this morning:
—Bertrand Russell
Wow! Wonderful quote, Thanks once again Yahia Bro :)
Thank you @yahialababidi. I can see the inner struggle in the soul because of uncertainty. The poem gives a beautiful message of harmony. I'm happy to read it.
Graceful message, @mineopoly, and I'm grateful to see it. The work --polishing of the heart, purification of the soul-- is never done. It's hardly begun... But, the purposeful life offers glimpses of peace. Stay blessed
_/|\_Intriguing images. Love the poem, especially “For, at heart, it is certain; I cherish it as sacrament…” words we should all take to heart.
I espouse a similar sentiment in a couple of my maxims: “Life’s joys are found in the small moments. Never let those moments pass uncelebrated. Embrace the Joy!” ~MomzillaNC
…and: “Gratitude opens our eyes to miracles around us. Life's a miracle & a gift. Take every breath in gratitude.” ~MomzillaNC
Thank you, my friend, for sharing your affirmations -- echoes of one of my favorite by Meister Eckhart:
If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.
I'm grateful you enjoyed the message of my poem & you think the images worked.
Interesting. What is a fox hole? How does that metaphor work? I was thinking of holes for wars to hide from the enemies. The trenches. Thanks for sharing, hehe. I'm Oatmeal Joey Arnold. You can call me Joey.
Think of the battlefield of life, Joey, and all of its tight spots... Eventually, we are forced to surrender that we cannot do it, alone, that we are in need of assistance from a higher power.
Agreed, and we all know that Jesus is our Creator Savior, right?
beautiful and true words. bookmarking and tweeting this. I am indeed blessed to read these lines
I'm happy that my words mean so much to you, and grateful to you for sharing them _/|_
Starting to end poem is good .
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