Now I understand,
You are as trapped in your world,
As I am in mine,
The steel and stone that surrounds you,
Dampens any warmth that tries to reach in,
And touch that weary life you live…
I shall stay in my world of gentle beauty,
Of well worn paths and gentle streams,
I shall wake to sound of birds singing,
And sleep when the wolf howls to call his mate,
And you my love,
Shall hear only the blaring of horns and sirens,
See only jets scar the sky,
No birds live where you are,
They cannot breathe the air.
But now I understand…
We live what we learn,
And I have learned,
To be charmed by the beauty of my world,
And I am blind in yours,
As you are in mine…
This loveless life you pursue,
Is not for me,
I must have passion, truth and beauty!
I can not sign a contract I will not live by!
Ah how deeply I wish you could see,
The beauty that surrounds me,
It cannot compare to that world of steel and stone,
And the computers do not hum and spit out lines,
Of programming code…
All the sums and tangents must target a single goal,
You mindlessly toil and carefully stack your gold!
Come with me and I will show you what you cannot buy!
Look at my gold,
It’s hanging in the sky!
Ah, but now I understand,
I was born in a different time,
A time when your name is your honor,
And you wear it with pride!
A time when love meant forever,
The sum of eternity,
Was equal to how you lived your life,
Not how well you spent your coin…
Ah my friend,
I wish I could show you my world,
But now I understand,
You must stay in your steel tower,
Live your life of contracts and deadlines…
And I?
I am off to kiss the sky!
Smelling of sweet sage and lavender,
The scent on my jeans as I run through the meadows,
Pervading my life with gentle beauty…
I will think of you now and again,
Wishing that somehow,
You too will someday come to understand,
Life is not a contract to be signed and agreed upon.
You must live it!
Smell and taste the joy around you,
Fall down and skin your knees,
Rise up and try again!
A truly extraordinary write, Retta. I am fast becoming a fan of your soft and flowing style of writing. You are at peace with the world and it's lovely to read.
Love and respect,
CJ
I still recall the place of my birth where I was blessed to spend my youngest years. It was breathtakingly beautiful. We owned nothing material, wished for none of it as well, because the splendor of nature would overwhelm us every instant of our lives. But then a war broke out; the greed of mankind trashed the unmatchable beauty of nature. We were forced to fly and now, many decades later, I live in surroundings of steel and concrete, trapped in the structures of money and matter. But the days of my youth never vanished from my existence, never ceased to make me long for a world as it could have been without mankind's greed and ignorance. This poem is an eloquent plea for what was once within our reach, there for the taking, but refused by blinded eyes and misled hearts. Thank you for creating and sharing. Take care,
RAge
Reviewed by Vesna Perkovic (Reader)
Reviewed on March 8, 2006
Now I understand,
You are as trapped in your world,
As I am in mine,
alas how true these words are..but only I can release myself from the trap..it's always up to us..I know..dang..
A breathtaking picuture and a wonderful, wise and sensitive write! Living it is what life should be about as well as understanding each other.
Birgit and Roger
Ahhhhhhhhh, SUCH a joy to read {and reread and reread} another image-rich and thought- and emotion-rocking marvel by the stunning talent known as Retta {Reindeer} Mckenzie. Merci, mon ami. Merci! 'Pea' <3
Sensuous, wise, enviable...is your outlook on your life, Retta...your poem shows depth and understanding, pity, too...yet uncompromising you are in your disdain of the modern...who knows? perhaps 'he' is happy in his world, too.
I shall stay in my world of gentle beauty,
Of well worn paths and gentle streams,
I shall wake to sound of birds singing,
And sleep when the wolf howls to call his mate,
Yet another powerfully profound piece from your poetic pen, Reindeer.
Reviewed by Elizabeth Taylor (Reader)
Reviewed on March 1, 2006
That last verse says it all.
The entire poem is wisdom.
flawlessy penned, Reindeer ... truth and beauty resound in the world of natural delights, far from the concrete jungle where materialism, pseudo-power and greed reside ...
OH Reindeer, this so reminds me of the movie The Horse Whisperer. The main female character found out what you are saying in this poem and fell in love with Robert Redford's character who showed her his world, kind of a reversal where the man showed the city girl his world and country life at the spiritual level.
"And sleep when the wolf howls to call his mate." I know this very well as my wolves howl, answering the coyotes and the fox who have dens close by on my property. It is a life that I will never trade, so love will have to come to me because I do understand. Outstanding paragraphs so aligned with your life of nature, Reindeer. Stay the way you are! Blessed Be.
The beauty of your world is natural and full of life and love...his is a void where darkness abounds. I've been to both and prefer the beauty of life, love and nature.
This echoes with the thoughts that so many people crave to live by but few of us find the courage to reach out and grab. It is your world that is rich, not in wealth or material possessions but in the richness of God's greatest gift to man...nature. Well done Retta.
Felix
Reviewed by Kate Clifford (Reader)
Reviewed on February 28, 2006
I felt a stab of sadness as I read this and thought of someone dear to me that is caught in the steel. Your capture of the thoughts within this write show how skillful you are in your writing. This is one of your gems!
Reindeer, a magnificent outstanding poem! I felt every word and I agree! So beautifully penned it should win an award!;-)I wanted to pick out a line, but I love them all;-)
In a post-coup America, an Illinois farm boy is drawn into the resistance by his brother's death. Captured, he is given a choice: betray his friends, or the girl he loves will be lobotomized.
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Love and respect,
CJ
RAge
Now I understand,
You are as trapped in your world,
As I am in mine,
alas how true these words are..but only I can release myself from the trap..it's always up to us..I know..dang..
perfect piece..saved it ty Retta
Vesna:)
I like the entire poem and the last three stanzas are so powerful.
Blessings of Love & Light,
Joseph
Birgit and Roger
TASKS OF LIFE AND DRINK THE NECTAR OF BLISS.
"Now I Understand..." tells me of someone who has reached the fountain of understanding, and how the richness of living is accomplished.
This composition gives me the ideas of the ideal goal of a healthy satisfying living, and teaches me how to find freedom.
Thank You, Poet, for enriching THE AMERICAN FINE LETTERS, and for adding this golden philosophical page to the history of Poetry.
Andre Emmanuel Bendavi ben-YEHU
Regis
Great, persuasive writing!
Gina
Love Tinka
Of well worn paths and gentle streams,
I shall wake to sound of birds singing,
And sleep when the wolf howls to call his mate,
Yet another powerfully profound piece from your poetic pen, Reindeer.
The entire poem is wisdom.
Elizabeth
Nobody' Gonna Due It For You,i.e. Even When You pay $$$ Them...
Eye Opener Write...
TRASK
Take me where you are...this is magnificent, stirring poetry; well done! Saving this wonder--thank you.
Write and graphic, spectacular!
(((HUGS))) and love, Karla.
Very well done; brava!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tx., Karen Lynn. :D
"And sleep when the wolf howls to call his mate." I know this very well as my wolves howl, answering the coyotes and the fox who have dens close by on my property. It is a life that I will never trade, so love will have to come to me because I do understand. Outstanding paragraphs so aligned with your life of nature, Reindeer. Stay the way you are! Blessed Be.
Sage
Well done.
Susan
Felix
Love,
eT