Thursday, December 30, 2010

Beyond All This

Jeanne Iris is driving the Poetry Bus, and as I've missed the last two runs, I'm early at the stop this week.

This poem was inspired by the first line of a Philip Larkin poem. As a matter of fact, I've purloined that entire line to begin this poem. You might notice that Hamlet sneaked in there, too.  Apologies to both gentlemen.

As for the Bus, I've chosen Option II, reaching a higher level of consciousness. You can read the other options and find links to some very talented writers here. The Bus officially runs on Monday.


BEYOND ALL THIS

Beyond all this, the wish to be alone:
To cast aside this bag of cells and bone,
To fly beyond this corporeal home;

To be alone, beyond all this to flee,
Unveiled, unmasked, exposed, in spirit free
To move among the stars and simply be.

It is a wish devoutly to be won:
Beyond all this, to flee, to sail, to run
With stars and moon and wind and sea and sun.

25 comments:

  1. Love this! I can feel myself, just under the surface, wanting to be free like this...

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  2. Lovely, Karen! I definitely connected with a higher level of consciousness here, weaving amidst genius, 'cells and bone,' and the ethereal.

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  3. This is very gorgeous. melodic and simple

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  4. All I do is strip off my skin and soul and walk (not flee) to the cosmos. Of all I have read here this perfectly describes my definition of spirituality.

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  5. It's difficult enough to rhyme elegantly and not lose sense completely, or at best strain for it, but to rhyme A/A/A produce fine consistency of style and content is a real achievement. This poem honours Larkin but has its own clear, coherent voice.

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  6. Your poem makes me want to fly ... to soar ... to transcend the ordinary ... Happy New Year!

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  7. Well, you know how much I love this one, don't you? So much good creativity happening here! Keep it coming... and - It *IS* a wish devoutly to be won.

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  8. Bug - Thank you, dear!

    TFE - Thanks!

    Jeanne Iris - Thank you for the great prompt.

    Rachel - Knowing your love of Larkin, I thought of you when I posted this.

    TWM - I'm not surprised you identify with this one, Mark, but I'm glad that you do.

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  9. Niamh - Thank you!

    Dick - Thanks for your very nice comment. Truly, I have a difficult time not rhyming!

    Helen - What a sweet thing to say! Thank you.

    Kay - I always look forward to your feedback. I really appreciate it.

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  10. Another stellar work. (No pun intended.)

    Keep up the inspiration.

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  11. That rhyming thing that you do, that's seriously nice! It seems to come round in a nice neat circle, which compliments the message in the poem. I'm not one for analysing things, it just leapt out at me on this one :-)
    beautiful words and beautiful writing. best wishes!

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  12. Yes!!! This has got to be one of your best. Great response to what I thought was a very difficult prompt.

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  13. Lovely lovely terza rima. (I quite like the old earth though!)

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  14. Great to be reading you again, and basically, great! Ultimate evolution for the revolution.

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  15. Oh, so beautiful. "To move among the stars and simply be." That is the most wonderful blessing of all. Awesome poem, Karen!

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  16. I've missed you, Karen. This was entirely engaging.
    Beautiful, lyrical writing.

    ~Calli

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  17. Jason - Good one! Thanks.

    Watercats - Thank you for that. I know that rhyming is unpopular in contemporary poetry, but it's natural to me. Even when I try not to, I end up with a rhyme.(Every time) :-)

    Heather - Thanks!

    Dave - You say the nicest things!

    Peter - From the rhyme king...thanks!

    Titus - Glad to have you back! Thanks.

    King of Camels - Thankee, thankee!

    Tess - Thank you!

    Julie - I've missed you! Thanks.

    Calli - I've missed you, too. I'll have to stop by and see what beautiful work you've been doing. Thanks.

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  18. Excellent, Karen! This was so tight and well-formed; you must have worked hard to get it exact.
    By the way, I love that word, "purloined". Been reading Poe?

    Kat

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