How do you travel
from that tie-dyed tent city
of 1986, pegged and jogged
across a continent
for peace
to now, your pulse threaded green
on a heart monitor
reassuring us
you did not fall
not yet.
The answer is
the walk is on foot,
slow, an almost
unmeasureable beat
between steps until we look back
to see the stretch, the span
of what was walked,
time.
Beautiful, Susan, so heartfelt. Thank you, be well~
Oh, thank you. It definitely was written from there.
time catches us all…even those that flow to the easy rhythm of life…or the most fit…that would be some run…but time is def the great equalizer….
Oh, it very much is. I still see him as that young guy. Until something like this happens. Time is definitely the equalizer here.
really nicely written. love the lead up to in that final stanza, then time. standing by itself. Really effective. Thanks
Fred, thank you. I just could not boil this down to a haiku/senryu.
This is fantastic, but then all your poetry is…I am constantly amazed not only by your mastery of the craft of writing, but by the diversity and depth of the topics you write about. Applause!!!
Helen, thank you so much! I appreciate your comments/support so much.
your opening stanza is strong with specifics-not only the date but words like : pegged and jogged. your last stanza stretches out and makes it long, as I think the subject lends itself to length… T I M E. Also, I think “heart monitor” is somewhat of an anchor for your poem. great write, Susan.
Jane–thank you–I think you are right, because on another read, that monitor seems to suggest itself in the penultimate stanza. Funny, I didn’t see that when I wrote it.
Well done Susan, felt very personal. And true.
Thanks, Trent. My best guy friend (the peace marcher here) is in the ICU after bypass surgery. Crap. He’s 47. Does not get much more personal than that. Sigh. Glad you liked this.
Ah yes, this resonates with me. I think at a certain point in life we all look back and see how far we traveled; and then in the present we think to ourselves….’it has all come to this.’ And it does, for each of us, at some point. Not easy….but at least (hopefully) we will know that we lived and made a difference!
Thanks, Mary. You are right about that point–I am at that point now.
This piece of poetry brought tears to my eyes. At the end all is about time.
Bjorn, thank you. It is all about time, you are right,. Rough weekend here remembering that fact.
This says so much. It’s almost as if the person is reflecting on a loved one’s life… how it goes so fast, from vibrant to sickly. Very touching, Susan.
Laurie, thank you. It is a loved one’s life, with hopefully many more years to it.
This is lovely Susan ~ I like the walk and look back in time, a great healer ~
Thank you, Grace, and it is.
Realism at its best, time is marched that’s for sure, and it catches up suddenly. This does resonate, once I played so much sport, now time has me paying for all that fun, walking into the future is now somewhat of a limpy waddle!
I do hope your friend recovers fully from his surgery to march on well into the future.
Thanks, Di. Me too.
musical intelligence runs through these lines, weaving a story that spans time and emotion.
Oh, Aprille, thank you for saying that!
Yes. And in my head (for the rest of the night, and possibly in sleep)…
Perfect sound for this,.
I’ve spent time in a “tie-dyed tent city” and it was a hell of a blast !!! Vermont Rainbow gathering “91″ !! for a few precious days we almost had the biggest city in the state ( in the woods ) filled with people camping !!
Oh, how WONDERFUL that must have been!
Beautiful heartfelt words Susan. I have read it several times and really cannot think of the right words to say – you do have a mastery of putting your thoughts into the most wonderful words. (Still not really what I want say.)
]
Anna
Anna wow, thanking you so much,.
Wonderful to read. A reflection, meaningfulness on the road traveled and the road is both in dimension of space and time it seems. The emotions held in nice control, comes through the lines nicely.
Oh, thank you,. Yes, this involves both space and time.
My thoughts are with you and your friend for his recovery. Very nice poem.
Thanks so much, Alice. He is young and strong. Hopefully, that’ll help.
This is great. Loved that ending!
Oh, thank you!
Powerful poem. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about time and how we’re all bound to its ways.
Thank you, Steven. I agree, we are all so chained. It is the awareness of it that makes for some introspection, I think.
This is so powerful, and so beautiful, but mostly hear-wrenchingly sad. You show a lot of restraint here, making the poem more meaningful through your careful choices than it would have been with overt melodrama. I can’t say how much I admire your ability to write a poem of so thoughtful and stark, when the tragedy at its center is so personal. I hope your friend recovers well, and soon <3
Ursa, thank you. It has been a rough weekend. Thanks for the well wishes, and also for the follow.
i like the looking back here..dunno but to me this speaks of a start out with much idealism and then realizing it is a slow march, maybe lots of doubts on the way as things don’t change like he expected when starting out but realizing, things DID change and it’s worth it..
Oh, I love that take, Claudia. Not my intention, but I can see it so clearly there. That’s what I love about writing–how it can mean something else to readers that the writer misses in the crafting.
ah, “time” and green lines on monitors where last images lie to us. Nicely done.
Sabio, thank you. Good take on the last image.
Lovely poem <3 It's so heartfelt and honest, I'm deeply moved…
Thank you so mich, jodette.
…deep feelings here…like very much
Oh, Katy, thank you!
Getting out in front and looking back. What a view. Your images tie together so well, giving us perspective on time and the people we shared it with.
Eusebia, thank you!
Life is so unpredictable. I can sense your confusion … How could this happen? Clearly a heartfelt and personal piece of writing. I hope and pray that things turn out well…
Tony, thanks so much for saying that. I hope so too.
This is heartbreaking and such a wonderful use of a short form.
Thank you, Heidi.
Beautifully written, Susan
Thank you, C.