the lighter our hearts become,
like a kite unmoored, drifting above
the din of yesterday’s promises.
settle into silence.
Talking into the small hours,
unraveling threads of old hurts,
words spilling like moonlight
over worn paths, unsure steps.
Blandishments curl into the air,
sweet as syrup, sharp as shame,
describing futures we can’t quite imagine.
things that are better left behind.
The less we desire, the clearer
the constellations appear,
their cold light provides a map
for navigating the sacred, quiet spaces
we must learn to walk alone.
we find the courage to release,
to rectify, to let blandishments dissolve
like mist in the morning’s truth,
and step, completely reborn,
into the weightless dawn.
Wonderful! You certainly do capture a state of mind, a moment in time.
What is important? This changes as the years pass. We let go, we hold on...why? What matters? What doesn't matter?
One practical application of this essentially impractical poem 😇: The more you own, the more you have to worry about. The more expensive your possessions, the more they seem to matter and thus the greater grip they have on your life.
Everything we own weights us down. Our relationships, our loves and friendships anchor us.
Great poem....
Thank you! I'm thrilled when the intended message of a poem is received. Poetry can be such a subjective thing sometimes people interpret them altogether different from what was running through my mind when I write them.
It's interesting...I was just 'talking with azircon on another blog, and in a way he said the same thing. Different, but the same. He was telling me about Sanskrit passage (I believe it is from the Gita) that speaks about attachment. One hopes to think about such things long before the horizon is clearly in view😄. It's an important message, better realized early than late, but important at any age.
I don't like to analyze poetry, because it is so personal. However, there is nothing obscure about your verse. You 'speak' in plain language.
There's so much wisdom in the Bhagavad Gita. I read it in my mid-20's (the Self-Realization Fellowship version) when I was going through the Kriya Yoga classes. I think that book is very likely significantly older than than is widely accepted.
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Good afternoon, dear friend @ericvancewalton
What a beautiful composition! It invites us to reflect on how we cling to things that don't do us any good. Learning to let go is the key to being happier.
I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you a wonderful weekend.
Thank you Luis! I appreciate it and I hope you're enjoying your weekend!
Finding someone you can talk with into the small hours and be yourself with....f-ing priceless. I love the beginning, as well, very yogi. It seems a lot of wise people in my life agree on this less is more, let go of attachment thing.
Absolutely! I relish those moments where I lose track of time. We used to walk down to the neighborhood bar when we lived in the city and it was like an extension of our living room. The hours would just evaporate and we'd have some of the most interesting conversations with people. This was pre-pandemic though, I think the phenomena is becoming more and more rare. As I get older I realize how much better I feel with fewer possessions. The possessions I do have really have to carry deep meaning.
Many times books, movies or series catch me at the beginning, because what I see proposes a plot that interests me. So it happens with this poem that from the beginning leaves an excellent and very real lesson because it tells us that the less we cling to things the freer we are.
It is a very personal way of seeing life and capturing it in his writings and, above all, in his poetry.
Thank you for sharing my dear @ericvancewalton.
Happy weekend.
Cheers and greetings.
I'm happy to hear this one captured your attention! Thank you my friend and I hope you and the family are enjoying your weekend!
An excellent beginning and an excellent ending, Eric. The first stanza of the poem hooked me, and I could feel the lightness that comes with letting go, letting flow, freeing oneself from unnecessary burdens. But that state is not always so easy to achieve and does not come so spontaneously, which is why dawn can be a time of day, but also a state of mind: that precise moment of light, of clarity, of revelations. I can't remember the last time I stayed up late talking to a friend or partner, feeling that words were opening doors that had been closed. Flight, whether of a bird or a kite, will always bring a feeling of freedom. Hugs 🪁
Dawn can also be a state of mind.
How poetic that is! That one line captures what I was feeling when I wrote this. These moments in life are rare and can't be contrived or constructed. The moments have to happen spontaneously, like lightning, or a rainbow. Thank you for your comment, Nancy! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend.
I'll be honest, I had to look up "blandishment". I have never heard that word before. It's a good one though!
It's so cool you zeroed in on that particular word because this was the word that started the entire concept of this poem. As I'm going about my day, if I think of a line or a word that interests me I write it down in the "notes" app of my phone. I never question why the words pique my interest I just write them down. Once I have a sufficient amount of material I build out a poem like a puzzle using the words. This is how I churn out so many of these. I found the word "blandishments" in the credits of Charles Schulz Peanuts specials and it's always held a fascination for me.
That is really cool the origin of the word for you. I use Google Keep on my phone and I used that to keep track of story ideas. The problem is, I occasionally don't put enough context and I forget what the heck I was thinking at the time. I had that happen just the other day. Thankfully, I was able to figure out what I was thinking at the time!
Why must your writing always inspire me so? Unmoored and kite took me straight to boats, that instead of anchors, somehow use a complex series of constantly rotating kites to keep them in situ.
I've been listening to a lot of the band The Last Dinner Party, and I am reminded now of some of their lyrics:
The currents of life (not our own life) will continue regardless of whether they are noticed or not. It is nice that our own one continues. :)
That's so cool to hear it inspires you! Interesting thought about the kites! The imagination is such an incredible thing, isn't it? It's an inexhaustible creativity generator if we set it free.
The universe becomes a very interesting place once we start to pay attention to those life-currents. Sometimes they're very important signposts on our journey.
Holding onto the past can really drag us down. Particularly, I liked the part where it says words flow like moonlight ;)
Thanks!
It is absolutely true that in life there are many things that we do not like, but still we have to live with these things. So the poet always teaches us many special things that life is not easy. We have to live everything by thinking and expecting everything. Otherwise, we will never be able to succeed in this world. Whether it is happiness or sadness, everything goes with us.
True. Sometimes we overthink and ruin our life experience as well. Sometimes we just need to let go and feel the moment.
To let go of the past is a blessing that most of us are yet to realize. The future holds a whole lot more for us and time in its majesty waits for no one. Exploring the dynamics between time, the past and the future is a really creative and inspiring idea that has captured the hearts of readers—myself included. This is artistry!! Keep saving lives with your write-up @ericvancewalton always look forward to reading your poems.
So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks!
#hive #posh
This post really touched me. Letting go isn’t easy, but it truly brings peace and a fresh start. Those quiet late-night moments often help us see things more clearly and find strength within ourselves.
'Less is more', something my mom always said, and it is so very true! We need to ask ourselves:
Such a beautiful reflection. Letting go isn’t easy, but your words really capture the peace that comes with it. I love how you describe finding clarity in solitude.