One True Gift (poem) by John Herlihy on AuthorsDen

One True Gift
by John Herlihy → (All Poetry by John Herlihy)
Saturday, August 16, 2025 Rated "G" by the Author.

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The One True Gift by John Herlihy The whole world divided into parts, Opposites that will lie forever apart. In the world of opposites lies mystery, Mystery that finds its solution in unity. Light forever in balance with darkness, Agitation in balance with peacefulness. Hope tinged with those feelings of despair, Beginnings and endings bounded by prayer. One half lies there in the presence of love, Therein lies all joy, hope, intimacy and light. The other half there in the absence of love, Therein lies all gloom, as in the dark of night. Love alone can serve as over-arching bridge, Love, the one true gift, serving as pledge. Love speaks not, knows nothing of death, All I understand, I understand through love. Everything that comes into being and exists, Everything exists and lives only due to love. Such feeling, as if inventing fire or the wheel, As time in eternity, so many minutes to steal. - - - - - Copyright © John Herlihy Thursday 17 April 2025

Reviewed by Jms Bell

Reviewed on October 29, 2025

INDEED, LOVE, THAT IS...TRUE LOVE...WHICH IS 'THAT LOVE' FROM ABOVE...CAME TO US AS..., 'ONE TRUE GIFT'...FOR ALL. THROUGH 'HIM'(LOVE)...WE LEARN TO EMBRACE AND APPRECIATE(UNDERSTAND) SO MANY OF THE PRICELESS 'BLESSINGS' WHICH SURROUND US, AMEN. A GEM, MY FRIEND, THANKS. LOVE, BLESSINGS AND FAITH...HIS+INSPIRATIONS

Reviewed by Ronald Hull

Reviewed on August 18, 2025

I've been told I have rose colored glasses about the world. But your poem would suggest that we have no reason to be disagreeing about anything. Only sharing what we have and using it to make all of us happy and healthy rather than cold dark and fearful. Not knowing where our next meal or even clean water is.

Ron

Reviewed by Odin odin@aflx.com

Reviewed on August 16, 2025

It seems we both have a leaning toward the magic, or mystery, of pardox. Even when I was directing and writing for Hollywood, my classes for actors would inevitably remind me how stuck so many people get because they don't understand the "unity" and at the same time, the separateness of most everything. And yes, one could equate all paradox concepts with 'love." Keeping focused on that word is the salvation for copping with the epidemic of mental illness. My belief is in sync with yours that to know love, one has to have suffered pain and some form of alienation, and... learned the inherent lesson. Again, that word love is perhaps the most powerful word ever concieved. Thank you for posting another memorable exploration.