Lotus Eaters Poem by Mohammad Yousef

By Mohammad A. Yousef

In the land of dreams, where shadows play,
there lies a place called Lotus,
where time curls up like a cat in the sun,
and the weight of the world, for a moment, fades.

Here, the air is sweet with whispers,
the taste of nectar lingers, tender and light.
In this soft haven, worries slip away
like sand through eager fingers.

The lotus blooms gently, petals unfolding,
a promise held in the morning mist.
Time stretches like the lazy sun,
each hour a golden thread woven into bliss.

People forget the sound of rain,
the rush of streets and the noise of dreams,
surrendering to this easy spell,
where every moment hums with echoing laughter.

They sit on edges of rivers,
skimming stones across surfaces glistening,
a fleeting dance of life,
as if they could catch the light in their palms.

But every taste holds a price,
for in the sweetness, shadows creep,
pulling at the edges of memory,
where the world still spins, waiting, remembering.

Some glance back, their hearts stirred
by echoes of home, of purpose, of struggle,
the joy of loved ones, the fire of ambition;
fragile threads tangled in this dream.

Yet here, in this garden of forgetfulness,
the lotus promises peace, a gentle embrace—
a siren's call back to warm shores
where sorrow drives with heavy oars.

But to live on this island,
beneath shining skies and lush greens,
is to lose the grit of life, the spark within,
each tomorrow dimmer than the last.

So they stretch out on the grass,
feeling the sun weave tales into their skin,
holding the moment between laughter and dusk,
hoping to tame the endless pull of the sea.

Perhaps one day, the winds will shift,
and the yearning will sneak back in,
like an old friend who knows the way home,
a reminder that dreams dance with the days.

Here lies the choice, sweet as a lotus,
to drift in the easy currents of pleasure,
or to navigate the wild waters of life,
full of storms, of heartbeats—a storm rushing forward.

For the lotus may tempt,
but the heart will always wander,
seeking the places where love ignites,
stories rise from sorrow, and true freedom blooms.