Oh, How the Senses Speak (poem) by John Herlihy on AuthorsDen

Oh, How the Senses Speak
by John Herlihy → (All Poetry by John Herlihy)
Sunday, May 28, 2023 Rated "G" by the Author.

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-- Oh, How the Senses Speak -- By John Herlihy Oh, how the senses do speak, The silence of the air to assail. Gathering knowledge to seek, The wine from the Holy Grail. The eyes as portals to the soul, Emotions pour forth, laid bare. Drawn from a secret inner hole, Anger, hatred, or love that stare. Who needs words when sight Says all that we need to know. In the depths of the eyes a light, The gift of love tied with a bow. Ears capture musical harmonies, That fill the soul with their delight. Sounds in nature as symphonies, The ears embellishing our sight. Worlds arise when we listen, All created things make sound. A unique voice thoughts christen, Whispers and cries profound. The nose reads the story of smell, Beauty and ugliness found in a scent. The heavenly odors perfumes foretell, Here on earth only temporarily lent. Ah, scent reaches regions sublime, Burning incense found in tree bark. Floating into the air as wind chime, Smelt by the angels, behold, hark. Pleasure serves the sense of taste, Speaking tongues in exotic words. Joys most welcome, never in haste, In moonglow, the murmur of birds. What minds taste, the heart feels, Filling the pages of many a volume. Echoes as an old church bell peals, Strumming notes of an ancient tune. A tale found in the sense of touch, The story of love there in the caress. Touched by twilight’s crimson blush, Touch and touched in return, blessed. Our words can be such hollow things, Such vanity that their pride proclaims. Compared to a living silence that sings, Flying free of their bondage and chains. Ah, how the senses really do speak, Wisdom sought, finally to be heard. How we bow in tribute, feeling meek, The mind expanded, the heart stirred. Touched by the sharp whip of misery, Falling down into the pit of despair. Touched by greatness and its mystery, Soaring aloft on the wings of a prayer. The outer senses do speak of the facts, The inner senses do speak of reality. Offering intuitions that the world lacks, Unfolding petals in the bud of mystery. - - - - - - Copyright © John Herlihy Saturday 12 May 2023

Reviewed by Jms Bell

Reviewed on June 25, 2023

THEY'RE A 'TEAM' YOU KNOW. WHEN ONE DOESN'T WORK THE OTHER GUYS MAKE UP FOR IT BY SPEAKING LOUDER. SO, OUTER...OR ...INNER, THANK GOD FOR THEM ALL. GOOD WORK...LOVE, BLESSINGS AND FAITH...HIS+INSPIRATIONS

Reviewed by La Belle Rouge Poetess Of The Heart

Reviewed on May 30, 2023

Your rhyme is always impeccable. It flows so beautifully, never any forced rhyming. Beautiful work as always, John.

Reviewed by Richard Cederberg

Reviewed on May 29, 2023

Conversing and writing for me are (at times) very similar. Although I'm a much better, more creative, writer than I am a speaker. Nonetheless, I remembered this: "Always converse in clear, straightforward, and decisive language, which contains no ambiguity." Quran 33:70... A fine piece, John, that showcases your poetic imagination beautifully. Kudos. Peace.... r

Reviewed by Ronald Hull

An interesting exploration of the senses that left me with some conundrums:

Without sight, how do the blind sense attitude? Through the tone of one's voice? From the smell of their anxiety?

If all creatures have sound, how does the giraffe communicate? He/she is seen from great distances or heard munching on a acacia tree?

One of the many senses that most people don't care about or even know about is our sense of position/orientation of all of our muscles. The GPS of our gravity. The way that we magically keep our balance in all sorts of positions.

Of all the lovely fragrances, like vanilla, reminding me of my mother's baking, I find some perfumes suffocating and an assault to my senses. And if a man wears perfume like a woman my primary sense would be that he is gay. An unfortunate word for not being happy?

Ron

Reviewed by Diana Legun

John, this is absolutely gorgeous in my eyes, nose, ears and all. This is my all-time favorite piece you have written. It is graceful, profound, aware, appreciative � I like the title, the incense, the last line likening to closing a good book. Satisfying end to a writing that contains yin/yang, the human condition, beauty, silence, sound, and �birds,� (to me the life form that, like dogs, are the epitome of �happy�). I love whenever the senses are brought out, and there is music in this poetry. Thank for giving us this today ~~ djl

Reviewed by Jane Noponen Perinacci

Reviewed on May 28, 2023

I "sense" that I just read one fabuluos poem, John!! It's all that and more!!

Love ya!

Jane