Hidden In Possibility Poem by Daniel Brick
Hidden In Possibility
What if it were - all of it -
already over and I,
an agonized witness
to events winding down,
were trapped in a permanent
past tense? Would lamentation
and celebration alternate,
as if our situation, ever ambiguous,
would always be in flux, never stable?
What then should I do with my patience?
At whose feet should I lay my tenderness?
I am confused by my own
imaginings of things still
hidden in possibility. I will
rehearse a thousand roles in exile,
and wait for a summons to return
to the stage. (Oh, patience rewarded!)
Once there, before those expectant faces,
turned upward at me, I would play out
Jacques's Seven Ages, or assume
the murderer's role in Hamlet's GONZAGO,
getting off scot-free because he's nameless.
No! I do not want a staged life,
swamped in another's consequences,
bound to another's view of Fate. I worship
the largest forces of the universe. But the sublest
signs of Love arouse my tenderness. Perhaps those
I might have loved, had they given me
an answering gesture, will wind back
into my life on the Wheel of Time.
I may even leap onto it in a frenzied
moment. Or merely reach out and seize
a single flower for its beauty as the Wheel tumbles on.
I really love this exploration of the influence of time in our lives. As we age, these questions do arise, sometimes fleetingly, sometimes heavy and slow, and then we're whipped back to reality. Then we go back and imagine what might have been...as if we're characters on the stage...what if...? The image created by the line, 'I may even leap onto it [wheel of time] in a frenzied moment, really spoke to me. The metaphorical language really fed the meaning of your poem, and activated my visual brain. I like the ending...the wheel tumbles on, but you seize onto that single beautiful ephemeral flower....Time goes on and we still have possibilities until we don't...
Even if we could not seize a single flower, we've seen the spring; Even if all of it already over, the beauty is left in the poetry... Your poem made me thinking. Thank you for this nice work. I enjoyed reading it.
You express two reasons why we should not despair: we have the seasons themselves, in all their glory; and we have our collectred poems to hold these treasures of memory. I felt a little melancholymthis morning, but no more. Thanks for lifting my spirits, Cigeng, with your happy thoughts.
All is known already, All is written already. there is no TIme, it's just for us. our human level. But the saints develop another parts of soul and open the Truth. God is bored to look at us. He knows everything.
I love the reflective tone of the poem. Time and Fate...two forces that have always baffled man. We humans are always stuck with Might have been...You have explored the question of possibility in a wonderful expression. The wheel of time tumbles on leaving many questions unanswered...The agonized witness of the passing time digs deep for answers but not with much success. A thoughtful poem.
digs deep but not with much success - That's exactly what I felt in writing the poem, which is why Breton's phrase AGONIZED WITNESS is so apt. It's more important to do the thoughtful writing than grab a superficial answer. It's always a risk to write a poem, you can't really know if you've done anything worthwhile, that's why I see your comments as my safety net as I walk the tightrope of cimposition! !
It's a wonderful poem, Daniel! I often felt amazed how a poem can express more thoughts and emotions than any ordinary speech.
Yes, what poems lack in clarity and simple truth telling they make up for in beauty of expression. We humans do live in a culture of trade-offs.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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5/8/2024 10:34:08 PM # 1.0.0.1119
Possibility and probability are only 2nd cousins.
Yes, yes, there is such a subtle distinction between the two words because they are related in meaning. And this means another poem by another poet could potentially negate my poem... and then I could respond with a negating poem. Or use the word PROBABILITY to get a diffent slant on the issue. I like the way your comment opens more doors.