meaningful poems

Life Lived

An unwelcome presence insinuated itself
Into an otherwise happy life, sat
Down without asking, made itself
Comfortable though uninvited.

It demanded constant attention and
Care, devoured focus and energy,
Diverted thoughts and disarranged
Routine without caring a whit.

In a moment of inspiration, eyes closed,
Imagination expunged it from the picture,
Life lived without glancing in its
Direction as it showed itself out.

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When It All Happened

A moment suspended,
She stares across the
Crowded room and begins a
Reassessment of everything
That has led to this moment:
Soaring triumphs,
Searing failures,
The story of what has
Come before and what it
Might mean for her future,
The realization that she
Wasn’t always awake
When it all happened.

Part of It

The room was
Buzzing with energy,
People smiling and
Laughing, sharing
Anecdotes, exchanging
Business cards,
Having a cocktail or two.
He stood in the
Middle of the action,
Pretending to be
Part of it.

Leaving the Darkness

She endured
So many years
Isolated from
Others, living
An anonymous life
Where no one knew
About her loves,
Her joys, her talents,
Her aspirations.

A single trip to
A distant city
Opens her eyes,
Her heart,
Her ambition to
Live, love, thrive
Out in the light,
Leaving the darkness
Far behind.

Promise of a Gift

A promise of a gift
Made in confidence.
She’s never told anyone
About it and has
Never seen it
Become reality.

Fading away into
Memory,
Immaterial,
A gesture lost to time,
Obscured by
Secrecy.

Once in a while
She wonders
What it all meant
And whether it
Ever even
Existed.

Luncheon

She sat at a shrouded table with
Semi-strangers jabbering giddily,
Animatedly ignoring or interrupting
Each other’s narratives.

The clatter of silverware on china,
A haze of perfume and nervousness
Wafting over occasionally. A nod of
Acknowledgment, smile of recognition.

When will this end? All rise for the
Hallowed oath, a group of like-minded,
Like-thinking, like robots, enjoying the
Luncheon of superficiality.

Open

Open your mind, open your heart.
Open the door to places uncontemplated.
Shed assumptions about a
World of fear. Thrive, flourish,
Nourished by courage and hope.
Cling to future rather than past.
Heal ingrained, untended wounds.
Move forward into the light.

Misunderstanding

For years and years I thought
I was a certain type of person and
It all came tumbling down one
Normal afternoon when I was
Struggling to do what I thought
I was supposed to do, fighting
Against the current instead of
Enjoying a carefree ride on a
Placid stream on a beautiful day.

All this time hoping I could will
My way into being someone else, a
Different person in the mirror
Bearing not even the most fleeting
Resemblance to me, a passing
Stranger, unsubstantial presence,
Easily scattered with a single gesture,
Moved by fragile strings of ego, fear,
A misunderstanding halted.

Until

Step by dreary step,
Trying to finish
Something, anything,
When my mind is elsewhere,
In different times
When things weren’t
So complicated and
I didn’t have to handle
So many things at once.
A persistent fog
Distorting my perception,
Unable to see, feel, clearly.
One movement at a time,
Finish one, begin the next
Until the sun rises.