Pages

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

IN PRAISE OF LONELINESS





Easy come
easy go
I've watched the parade
march in and out my door
the flute players
and the drummers
the only thing they share
in common
is their transience

while I play the silent monolith
stoic
with eyes that must
not water

I see the couples
when I'm out and about
so many of them look
mismatched to me
but at least they've got something
(a roll of fat maybe)
to hang onto through the night

been in that comfortable rut
before
and a comfortable rut
is still a rut
with
ironically
less and less rutting
taking place
as time goes by

does it matter
which life you choose
when there's no way to win?

but

the one thing I've learned
and maybe I'm "lucky"
in that respect
is that pain
is the only way
to feel truly alive



20 comments:

  1. "pain
    is the only way
    to feel truly alive"

    Wow, that is powerful. And so true.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Joy and pain are twins ... As long as U feel joy and/ or pain, U are alive, friend Tim ... Love, cat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are so right...though joy eventually turns to pain no matter what

      Delete
    2. ... and sometimes pain turns into joy ... smiles ... meouw ... Love, cat.

      Delete
    3. You right...you always right...except when I am

      Delete
  3. 'that pain is the only way to feel truly alive'.. sigh.. beautifully poignant.

    ReplyDelete
  4. "Stoic....with eyes that must not water...." Timo, you are singing my song. I have always had to be so stoic....but then my wolf-dog died, and I have been crying ever since - about everything, earth grief, the plight of animals on this planet, you name it. The other day I found my eyes watering when a rescue dog got adopted on the news. LOL. Love your question "does it matter which life you choose when there is no way to win?" Wow. But, like you, it all comes down to your closing lines. One does want to be dead while still alive, so we must feel it all.........lovely to read you again, my friend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sherry, your comment is so poignant. We are on the same wavelength, my friend!

      Delete
  5. I mean, of course, does NOT want to be dead while still alive.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Too often when pain is the only way we feel alive is a reason to seek for more pain... maybe there is a blessing in arthritis that we don't have to run a razor cross the skin.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Excellent, but I disagree. Pain is not the only true way to feel alive, but it is easily accessed. Superb writing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good to hear from you. Check out Cressida de Nova's comment and my response below.

      Delete
  8. Interesting poem, I do not agree that pain is the only way to feel truly alive. I think it is necessary to experience it but you need the contrast of elation and joy as well. Life seems to be the devil or the deep blue sea. Go for the sea. It offers more opportunities:) such as mermaids:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course, you are right. Joy is equally important...but there is a component to joy that is also painful...because we never know how long it's going to last, and that is always in the back of our minds. The Buddhists say that all life is suffering...that it all comes down to that in the end, because of impermanence. On a brighter topic, I've known a few mermaids, but always felt there was something fishy about them.

      Delete
  9. of a lonely night
    as we return to love's home
    the warmer blankets

    _m

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love this. Hope you are doing well my friend!

      Delete