fragile possibility
gripped in the freeze of time
compressed and cracked
the slag-shattered
glass of the future
moves frail and slow
through the arc of the ages
who’ve waited and watched
at the waning of truth
‘neath the brittled moon
of deliberate ancients
a fractured orb
that revolves in the void
of the others that see
what we knew to be
ever the voice of the lost
in plaintive cries
to the light of the dawning
that heralds the word
of this time that’s upon us
I am the bud and the blossom
I am the late-falling leaf
I am the arc fulfilled
of the here and the now
to hold us firm in the fire
of visions and longing
for what we were
and for all that we are to be
here in our heart
of this moment eternal
that seeks to flee
like a squandered teardrop
forever away from
our failing grasp
hold fast
NOTE: italicized lines are from Paul Dunbar’s “The Paradox”.
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Very vivid poem, Rob. <3
A little ecstasy Lucy… 🙂
Hold Fast.
This one delicately summarises every line in the poem..
Now when someone would say “Hold Fast.” I’ll have a reference.
Will it be too much to imagine you alluding of the moon holding gravity; visions, energy that ‘are of this moment eternal that seeks to flee
like a squandered teardrop forever away from our failing grasp.
Like Kim said, this one makes you pause and savour every moment in life.
Brilliantly conceived.
Thank you so much Kenyan, for your most gracious words. This one came to me in a waking startle on a sleepy, half-dozed night. As it unspooled in my mind, amazing visuals of eternity, the universe, birth and death, a small child crying — all these and more were dancing in my imagination. I had the first draft in October of last year. It took less than 15 minutes. The entirety of creating this was truly an ecstatic experience. I had never finished editing it for posting until I read those two lines from Dunbar. They fit perfectly and drove me into a reasonably deep final edit. “Hold Fast” is what ultimately emerged — that two-word phrase coming right as I was about to post.
Hold fast to love and all of these beautiful, fleeting visions – agreed!
Yes Ingrid, hold fast to love and to truth! 🙂
some deep cleansing joy in this one Rob, feels like you’ve resolved something significant!
Thank you Kate, i feel i have found a respite from a frustration, in that my improved spam filter appears to be doing better.
I like the pace of this poem, Rob, which slows me down to savour every line, and is intensified by the use of alliteration and assonance. I love the idea of a squandered teardrop.
Thank you Kim… 🙂
Great job.
“a fractured orb
that revolves in the void
of the others that see”
are my favorite lines
Thank you Ron…!
“”I am the arc fulfilled
of the here and the now
to hold us fast in the fire
of visions and longing””
Some great lines Rob…
…but since you used Dunbar within your writing his lines need to be clearly referenced
Thank you Laura. OK — now I did credit Dunbar in a footnote I added.
Wow, Rob. I love this idea of a “squandered teardrop”. Simply love it so much.
-David
Thank you David, I am pleased you do… 🙂
Holding on pays off when we know how dark it is without love.
Most assuredly Bjorn.
Holding fast to the “now” is so difficult, though seemingly simple, “this moment eternal” and yet it is the answer to “what we were
and for all that we are to be.” Eloquently contemplated and expressed, Rob. Loved this.
Thank you so much Dora, I genuinely appreciate your kind words.
What this says to me:
Hold fast as we age and pass through these times. Hold on to each other.
That first stanza is so very powerful….and then the image of the brittle moon.
I really relate with this one!
Thank you Lillian, and I wholly embrace your take on this… 🙂
A most stunning poem, Rob! I especially like; “I am the arc fulfilled of the here and the now to hold us firm in the fire
of visions and longing for what we were and for all that we are to be.” 🙂
Thank you Sanaa… 🙂
“like a squandered teardrop
forever away from
our failing grasp
hold fast”
Gorgeous writing, Rob!
Thank you Sara, very much… 🙂