A Chastened Me [1st Revision] Poem by Margaret Alice Second

It's not for keeping yet, the alternative consciousness
I've lost, it was on loan to see how grand life can be
when we are free to be happy, a promise of things to
come; in its wonderful mood I was flying and dancing
in circles with delight in my heart, and with great

Self-control carried out mundane tasks having no
purpose other than requiring we learn how to bring
joy to life's routine, not just exceptional moments -
I switched back from overdrive to everyday cruising
mode and looked up words - when the feeling

Of loss grew too strong - it was so wonderful to have
fun - the contrast with everyday grey was too much; I
ran from the office, looked for a new place to rest my
thoughts, slid into a novel then returned to the same
space I had left just to find a mess I made when my

Rose-coloured thoughts carried me high; it's a much
chastened me, back in a reality I don't understand

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2. [ORIGINAL: ]

I lost it - the alternative consciousness, it's not for
keeping yet, it's just on loan to see how grand life
can be when we are free to be happy, a promise of
things to come; in that wonderful mood I was flying
while dancing in circles with delight in my heart

Then with great self-control carried out the mundane
tasks which have no purpose other than learning how
to bring joy to everything in life, not just to exceptional
moments - I switched back from overdrive to everyday
cruising mode and looked up words - when a feeling

Of loss grew too strong - it was so wonderful to have
fun - the contrast with everyday grey was too much; I
ran from the office, looking for a new place to rest my
thoughts, dived into a novel then returned to the same
space where I left just to find I made a mess while my

Rose-coloured thoughts carried me high, this is a very
much chastened me, back in a reality I can't understand

[9 July 2014]


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3. [ALTERNATIVE FORM: ]

I lost it
the alternative consciousness,

it's not for keeping yet,
just on loan to see how grand life can be
when we are free to be happy,
a promise of things to come;

in that wonderful mood I was flying
while dancing in circles
with delight in my heart

then with great self-control
carried out mundane tasks which have
no purpose other than learning how
to bring joy to everything in life,
not just to exceptional moments -

I switched back from overdrive to
everyday cruising mode and looked up words -
when a feeling of loss grew too strong
it was so wonderful to have fun -

the contrast with everyday grey was too much;
I ran from the office,
looking for a new place to rest my thoughts,
dived into a novel

then returned to the same
space I had left
just to find I made a mess
while my

Rose-coloured thoughts carried me high,
this is a very much chastened me,
back in a reality I can't understand