You have transversed dangerous waters in this poem. Not the poem itself, but the subject matter, the danger of the knowing/not knowing of any relationship. Well done!

Bobbi

The best part of this is how by the end I felt pulled in and caring, when at the first line I was here nor there, but your way of telling within your poem is like a whisper in the ear, and by the end we must hear. Good stuff, love the last 2 stanzas.

One of your best! We are caged by our natures at times. But at others it is a positive prison or trap. Hope this makes sense. Cheers

Hi Jude, I really like how this poem comes to its conclusion, your poetry is analytical in such a good way, to read it is something valuable and good, you help me understand tings! Thanks Jude, Nicky xx

My gut feeling says that you do not trust this other person to have your best interests at heart and for some reason, it has caused you some self-doubt. Not wishing to toss water upon any flames that might be trying to catch wind, I am just going to say that whatever you feel to be the truth within your soul, is the path that you must follow when addressing any relationship. You give us and yourself a lot to chew upon with this one, Jude. Very well executed.
Take care,
Sherry

Clever word play
With a brilliant title
Worth waiting for.

A powerful offering that provokes the inner senses!!

Love Tinka

...chances become revolving choices...steps taken in trust...become the searcher...and the outlook...perhaps one in the same.
excellent write Jude...
John

An anchor sinking in chance's quicksand? a metaphore or a paradox? where the mind go from there? should we be philosophical or play stupid and get away with it? after all, aren't we all pieces of burned toast covered with spoiled butter?
Nice going Jude...

Georg

Powerfully written piece...and in the end...it's all about choices, isn't it...or rather how we perceive things. Excellent writing.

I don't know but maybe give it time for moment to develop
don't be to critical and let life take its course!
Only then maybe you will know!
I miss reading your words
They always leave me to ponder
Its nice to see you back!!
Peace Love And Hugssss...Morning star

you weave your words well--enjoyed your writing!

I may not totally comprehend this one my friend, but anything from your well written hand makes me happy to see...Ed & Rufuz

Nice to read you again Jude,great pen..stay safe and well...HUgs

Jude, I think there is one word that is drawn from the last line of your poem that is the source of your angst: Insecurity. Don't underestimate yourself or the person you are writing about. When it comes to powerhouses, 1 + 1 = 100. So let your power and her power come together to create exponential growth.

Peace,
~ Sara

Hey stranger what's shakin?! :)
"Maybe I should just allow the moment to unfold
and stop being so analytical" and let whatever happen, happen (only then you'll know)... And if it still feels like a rusted nail being thrusted into an open wound, then lose the chick ;) Good to read you again ...

Clearly some dissonance in this one. Good to see your superlative pen again. But not nearly as happy as the wordly responder afore me. ;-).

P.S. Heston, Reagan, and my Grandmother Hull... all quite liberal in their early lives, became ultra conservative and ardently religious as Alzheimer's overtook them. I think they lost their critical thinking to their simpler, reptilian, brain. Hope that doesn't happen to me.

Ron

Abstractions can become distractions for certain sure... and when the alliance is allegorical and symbolic,rather than actual and based on a shared material reality, then that adds extra debateable and unquantifiable dimensions into the melting pot. So who's to know which way is up or where the plumbline of Truth actually falls? And when the linkeage is also between people of differing temperaments, then the journeying can become highly turbulent. Guess it all comes down to love and trust in the end - the "known" and perceived about the individuals involved, in counter-tension with the unknown and undetermined. You pick up, perhaps, where you left off: with a poem of duallism and ambivalence; of metamorphosis and change. But certainly the language here is of distaste and disorientation: like biting into a perfect-looking fruit only to have hit upon its hitherto undetected worm. On the other hand, it is also perhaps a marvellous picture of the transition between self-regard and abandonment. It makes me see a picture of two people climbing to the top of a sand dune, the first to arrive proclaiming the mystery of the view; by the time the other reaches the top, the moment has gone... and there remains only the borrowed vision of what had occurred... who's to say whether, in that prior moment, what was seen was real or imagined? As always, I seem to go into overdrive with the way my mind warps and weaves around your expressed thoughts, Jude. Perhaps you are working with ideas from you Arrival poem here, and surrendering the influence of clarity to the power of idea in the knowledge that "control is the realisation that there is no control". Great to see you here again and hope you're doing fine. Kate xx

As always I stand in awe in the presence of your pen. Welcome back indeed! In gratitude forever for your sharing this magnificent insight. Mikii

(((Jude))),

Welcome home, I've missed you. Powerfully penned, startlingly imaged - perfection.

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

I feel like an anchor
sinking into the quicksand of chance

You have used very effective images to convey your thoughts, Jude. Thank you for sharing your perspective. Love and peace,

Regis

Remaining uncontaminated from this daft society and its cultural drilling. Cheerfulness is the natural state, and ignoring illusions, then nowt needs to be in any order, thus freedom from every label....

Ideas can certainly be formulated in words to have a hidden meaning depending on the mind that conceives them.

So very excellent this 'Abstraction of an Allegorical Alliance'

I have missed your unique and always origianal look into those around you and close to you. It is good to see you back and with such an exceptional piece as this...the images could not be ignored as they seemed to go directly to the brain and the other senses of smell, sound and sight. Well done as always Jude...

Fee

Well, Jude...you certainly know how to stir up thoughts...your own, and the reader!
"And I have overlooked
What your eyes are seeing"
and I add...what the heart is saying.
We can often be too analytical, then miss the message.

Where ya been??? Cheers, and glad your writing here again!

Micke

Jude,
So glad to see you back, have missed you..
Sometimes one must just go with the flow of the moment. Let things evolve, be open to all possibilities, relax and enjoy the moment.
Awesome poem
Peace, love, and light,
Amber "V"

Welcome back dear Jude! You know it's up to you to choose whether it's saboteur or savior;-)I love this poem, it so fits in with the
way your mind works over situations using analogies and esoteric thoughts to make us ponder all the intricasies of your wondrous brain!

Love
ET

Great thoughts, great offering

Rusted nails in wounds sounds sickening and spoiled butter on burned toast sounds stinky to me!! But your poem is the real deal and no mincing of words. Some people only understand directness. Welcome back Jude.

Hi there, Robert. Another offering and a delightful one.
Always good to rattle our own cages. A pleasure to read you again.

Elizabeth