This Dense Resistant Clay Poem by Richard (Narad) Eggenberger

This Dense Resistant Clay

It was not a time for singing or for song.
Tears like burning solder stung my eyes,
I dragged myself unconsciously along
Beneath the deluge of the monsoon skies.
One came upon me like a brazen thief
And snatched my joy as from an open purse,
Pain as I had often known, and grief
As he lifted poems still in my soul, and worse
Stole the muse that long had guided me.
I walked uncaring in the pelting rain
As a swimmer drowning in an angry sea,
A sadness deep, unbearable my pain.
Silver arrows tore into my feet
As I travelled roads no rain could ever clean.
I find this transient life so bittersweet
With its enigma of the unforeseen.
When I was young, I heard the dying scream
Of a wounded hare bleeding by the road
I hear it still in waking and in dream
And know death's agony to be life's goad.
But the leash of the subconscient stretches far
And holds us captive in our ignorance
Circumscribed by passions, wants bizarre
Fulfilled at the yearning soul's expense.
We give undue importance to a mind
Incapable of silence to receive
Incoming truth and to the light blind
And at the end in breathless silence leave.
Now all my heart cries out, its breaking heard
By none except the Witness of the Way,
I seek through love to find the ennobling Word
That shall remould this dense resistant clay.

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The poem 'Remould This Dense Resistant Clay' is a poignant and introspective piece of writing. The speaker of the poem expresses their feelings of despair and hopelessness, as well as their desire to find a deeper meaning and purpose in life.

The first stanza sets the scene of a stormy and melancholic day, with the speaker feeling overwhelmed by their emotions. They describe the feeling of having their joy and creativity stolen from them, leaving them adrift in a sea of sadness.

The second stanza continues with the image of the speaker walking through the rain, feeling the pain of each step as if being pierced by silver arrows. The transient nature of life is also brought up, with the speaker pondering the mystery of the unknown and unexpected events that life can bring.

The third stanza takes a darker turn, with the speaker recalling a traumatic experience from their youth of witnessing a dying hare. This memory serves as a reminder of the inevitability of death and the impermanence of life.

The fourth stanza delves into the idea of the subconscious mind and its hold over our lives. The speaker suggests that our desires and passions can lead us astray and distract us from finding true enlightenment.

The fifth stanza reflects on the limitations of the human mind and its inability to fully grasp the truth. The speaker suggests that only through love and connection can we hope to find a deeper understanding of life.

The final stanza brings the poem to a hopeful conclusion, with the speaker expressing their desire to be transformed and remoulded into something greater than their current self. They seek the ennobling Word, a phrase that suggests a divine or spiritual force, to guide them on this journey of self-discovery.

Overall, 'Remould This Dense Resistant Clay' is a deeply reflective and philosophical poem that explores the complexities of human emotion and the search for greater meaning in life.