The living – the dying (impermanence forgotten) (poem) by Alexandra* OneLight*® Authors & Creations on AuthorsDen

The living – the dying (impermanence forgotten)
by Alexandra* OneLight*® Authors & Creations → (All Poetry by Alexandra* OneLight*® Authors & Creations)
Rated "G" by the Author.

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This poem addresses no religious beliefs or spiritual traditions whatsoever. It is, quite simply, a written reflection on the Western culture; so, “They” are, in fact, “We” – and the poem, with my apologies for the generalization, addresses the modern Western perspective about life and death – a paradoxical combination of a lack of long term vision, which makes us act as if we were the last generation on the planet, and of a denial of death, which drives us to the greedy, ambitious and possessive attitudes of those who believe themselves to be… eternal.
The living – the dying (impermanence forgotten) Perhaps they remind me of thieves, intrinsic, of their own space, emptied in handfuls of their yearning, their rush to perceive themselves full and perpetual. Perhaps they remind me of deaf attachments of tongue to words, fallen, like plaster, from walls like mute judges, with the taste, bare, cold, and insurmountable, of the total indifference of echoes. Perhaps, by contrast, they remind me of convicts and jailers of time; like doors in rigid obstinacy, that even before the rubble, obvious, of all accidental walls, lock themselves with several turns of the faith, with the stiff, futile pertinacity of all blind fingers. Perhaps they remind me, after all, of constantly self-reminded oblivions; like deliberately unaware waits, with the rotten smell of what will not - no, will not - rise again on the third or on the thousandth day. And that is perhaps why they remind me of permanent, self-imposed reminders of impermanence forgotten; and therefore, of liberations, self- sentenced to immovable eternity, and thus left to slowly die, behind their bodies. -- © 2008 Alexandra* ~ OneLight*®

Reviewed by Lois Christensen

Reviewed on May 17, 2008

Greedy are the petroleum companies sic the high gas prices, language on TV is disgusting, Blind are they to needs of others and our fellow men, many will be lost when the rapture comes, the last day indeed will come as a thief in the night, they are the ones that need permanent reminders and liberation somehow.

Reviewed by Leland Waldrip

Reviewed on May 4, 2008

Dearest Alexandra:
Powerful imagery and exquisite expression of one of the most critical of balancing acts we as humans must perform. The gift of intelligence presents us at the same time with ability to plan our own lives and to foresee our own demise -- a two edged sword of competence and dread. An extension of this humanity is our innate ability to convince ourselves that both edges cut with joy. Isn't that what we have to do?
Love and warmest of spring {{{{{{{hugs}}}}},
Leland

Reviewed by Karla Dorman, The StormSpinner

Reviewed on May 3, 2008

The imagery you use - powerfully poignant - well done, Alexandra.

(((HUGS))) and love, Karla.

Reviewed by Georg Mateos

Too many perhaps will mount in a pile of doubts ruble that will press your body down and steal the lungs air, leaving a desesperate soul trying to cling to a body left behind to die slowly.
The sadness is there, but what is the answer we want to hear?

Georg