In My Mind

By PJ

In my mind’s eye,
I see so many things.
I’ve been frozen for eternity,
forever preserving
their beauty and sentimentality.

In my mind,
they can remain untouched,
perfect that way,
as beautiful as I perceived
them to be when beheld

Forever: sunny days,
forever rainy and gray,
forever pretty.
the lady who captured
my imagination.
Forever: people, days
and bright thoughts.

In my mind’s eye,
frozen in time.
Periodically, I review
their beauty and sentimentality,
through the lens of a
cloudy eye: bleary,
clearing as my mind progresses
through each cherished memory.

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35 Comments

  1. Cameron on December 30, 2020 at 3:41 PM

    PJ,

    I really liked the image that you created in this poem. I love the idea of looking into your memories and viewing them as untouched. They are their own little gift to yourself, and they can be saved from the terrors of the outside world because you keep them in your mind. It also makes me think of some memories/people that I will think of that can keep me calm during a “storm,” similar to how you look at something with a cloudy eye, then, as your mind adjusts, you see the clear picture. I’ll think of memories that I have that allow me to step back and reflect while I’m going through a tough time. Thank you for reminding me of them, and for the beautiful poem!

    -Cameron

  2. Megan Gaines on January 3, 2021 at 11:23 PM

    Hi Pj,

    Thank you so much for sharing you poem. I thought the word choice was beautiful and I found myself picturing some of my own memories of people I care about, and days I remember enjoying. I really resonated with the idea of preserving memories of people and days in a positive light and trying to hold on to the good, though as you wrote sometimes through a cloudy eye. Throughout reading this poem I felt an overwhelming sense of peace thinking about the people and memories I miss but have to hold on to. I really enjoyed reading it, I hope to read more of your poetry soon.

    Sincerely,
    Megan

  3. Joyce on January 5, 2021 at 3:05 PM

    Dear PJ,

    Thanks for this lovely poem. I like the idea of beautiful, sentimental memories with vivid imagery that you can look back on. I think many people would find this poem relatable. We all have memories that we want to preserve, that help us remember times when we were happy and help us remember what’s truly important in life. I like how you repeat the word “forever,” as memories can last a really long time, unlike some material things. The last paragraph is interesting, where you talk about periodically reviewing your memories, and how they get clearer. Sometimes I find myself vaguely remembering something I haven’t thought about in a long time, and the memory comes back as I think about it. It’s amazing how our mind can store these images for so long. Great poem!

    Sincerely,
    Joyce

  4. sarah on January 6, 2021 at 2:18 PM

    PJ,

    This was a beautiful poem full of vivid imagery and emotion. It captured how we deal and experience memories well. Memories are just one snapshot and perspective on something we want to remember. We might remember a memory differently than how it actually happened because we want to look back on it in a certain way. Or we may choose to only remember certain things about a memory while forgetting others. I enjoyed how you described memories as something that we cherish. Memories are one of the few things we truly have to ourselves, and I love the line “they can remain untouched, perfect that way.” I also enjoyed the imagery of memories being “frozen” because, like ice in heat, memories are not permanent and eventually melt away. Thank you for sharing your words with us.

    Sincerely,
    Sarah

  5. JM on January 7, 2021 at 3:47 PM

    Hi PJ,

    Thanks for sharing this beautiful poem. It reminded me of the amazing capacity of happy memories to sustain us no matter what we’re going through. You captured the image of each moment you remembered so well. I especially liked the line where you talked about “the lady who captured / my imagination.” This resonated with me because a lot of times it’s fun to see people out and about their daily business and to imagine things about them, and take joy in the fact that others are observing, passing by, and wondering about us. It’s a simple thing that I miss during these times but you captured it so well. I hope you write and share more!

    Best,
    Joseph

  6. Jordan on January 18, 2021 at 10:15 AM

    Hi PJ,
    Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful poem! I really like your way with words and the way that your poem flowed. My favorite lines are “I’ve been frozen for eternity, forever preserving their beauty and sentimentality.” I think those lines and the image that they create in my mind are truly beautiful. I really like your theme of “the mind,” and how certain memories and emotions stick with us forever. Keep up the great work!

  7. cameron h on January 18, 2021 at 8:16 PM

    PJ,

    This is such nice poem. I love how you described memories as untouched moments that you look back on often. I really liked the line, “Periodically, I review their beauty and sentimentality, through the lens of a cloudy eye…”. That was a really beautiful way to describe looking back on old memories. Thank you for sharing this!

    CH

  8. Jay on January 19, 2021 at 4:47 PM

    Hey Pj!

    This poem was written absolutely beautiful. I love the way you talk about not only seeing things that you perceive as beautiful as frozen, buy yourself as frozen as well. It shows to me that you are very observant, and pick up on beauty that others might miss because they don’t look as deeply. My favorite line was “forever preserving their beauty and sentimentality”. It shows one looking at the beauty before them and continuing on to look deeper to find the meaning in the object beneath their gaze.

    This was a joy to read!

  9. Samantha on January 19, 2021 at 7:14 PM

    PJ,

    I loved how you were able to so eloquently capture the ways in which memories and moments can stay frozen and unchanged in our minds. This poem was so beautiful! Thank you for sharing your work with us, and I hope you continue to write poems.

    Best,

    Samantha Smart

  10. Serina on January 21, 2021 at 7:26 PM

    PJ,

    I love the word choice in this poem! “their beauty and sentimentality” right in the beginning captivated me into reading more. I like how you also used that line more than once in the poem. This is a real eye opening poem and I like how I was thrown different directions in terms of emotions. I favorite poems about memories, and this has to be one of my favorites now. Well done!

    Best of luck,

    Serina

  11. Gisela on January 30, 2021 at 3:43 PM

    Hi PJ,
    Your poem made me think that only in our minds we can relive the good times we had with someone, or in some place we visited. At the end of the day, all we have are memories. When we die, we will not take any of our possessions, we will take only our memories, and we will leave only memories to others to remember us by. Keep writing your beautiful poems and keep remembering those precious moments in your mind. Cheers, Gisela

  12. Ginger on February 4, 2021 at 1:13 AM

    Hi PJ!
    I think you did a great job with this poem. The use of the phrase “my mind’s eye” is very effective. I also like how you used “frozen” in two different ways in the first stanza vs. the last. This poem successfully describes an idea and feeling that are hard for most people to capture.
    Keep writing,
    Ginger

  13. Kahliya Zykia Ruffin on February 10, 2021 at 11:25 AM

    Your poem was basically a relaxing cup of tea. It was very calming and helped me think of the good memories that i’ve almost forgot during this covid-19.

  14. Ayzhiana Basallo on February 18, 2021 at 7:45 PM

    Your poem is beautiful. The way you use your words is amazing. From not being able to do much in your situation it seems like you find the positive out of things. All your memories must be happy and wonderful, since you titled your poem in my mind, I imagine that you are emphasizing the great things that ponder it.

  15. Bhavin C Narotam on February 22, 2021 at 8:37 PM

    PJ,

    Thank you for sharing this piece. It was a beautiful piece.

  16. Dennis Kang on February 24, 2021 at 1:49 AM

    I loved reading your poem because it is really descriptive. I think many people will love to read about this because it is something that they can relate to.When I read this I was trying to think of my past memories that made me happy.

  17. David Liu on February 24, 2021 at 2:38 PM

    This poem made me feel what you felt and saw what you saw. Thank you for sharing this!

  18. Fabiola Vega Albino on February 24, 2021 at 11:31 PM

    loved this poem! i think is great, creative and sophisticated. I loved the use of metaphors in particular. Great job!

  19. Nataseyah Lawrence on March 11, 2021 at 11:07 AM

    Wow PJ wonderful poem you actually inspired me to write on of my own I hope you like.

    Thought

    You ever just sit and think
    What life would be like
    If it didn’t change everytime we blink.
    You ever just sit and wonder
    Why our lives feel like a constant slumber,
    I used to dream big
    Until life took my big dream and snapped it like a twig.
    When I was young I said “smoking is bad”
    Now I take that bad thought I had about smoking and turn it a bad thought while smoking,
    You see nothing stays the same
    When your young everything is a game.
    Now your innocence is stripped away
    So You look at the world through lens named SHAME
    Because you know that there’s only one thing to blame,
    Those thought that were once lame
    Are the same thought that caused all this pain.

  20. Veda on March 15, 2021 at 3:31 PM

    I love this idea of memories and remembering that you brought about. The idea that we can choose what is in our mind, almost like saving a song and forgetting about it until you find it again and it reminds you of the why behind saving it. This poem brought back such a calmness, as if the weight of the world was no longer on our shoulders because we can keep ourselves safe in our minds–that we can choose. Thank you so much for that.

  21. Joe Fargo on March 25, 2021 at 11:14 PM

    Dear PJ,

    Thank you for sharing this poem. I loved your use of imagery, as it made me feel like I was journeying with you on the trip your mind’s eye led you to. I hope you continue writing, and I hope you are doing well.

    – Joe

  22. Zach Phelps on March 30, 2021 at 1:21 PM

    Your poem was really awesome! I loved the contrast you included, for example the “ forever sunny days” and forever rainy and gray”. I love how you captured this idea of what the mind is and how it is a place where our imagination and thoughts are held. It was really beautiful! Thanks for this poem, it was great reading it!

  23. Ashlen on March 30, 2021 at 7:20 PM

    PJ – I really loved your poem! The imagery was beautiful and it reminded me how precious memories are. I love how elegant your phrases are. They made me really thankful for my own memories. Keep writing! – Ashlen

  24. A on April 3, 2021 at 12:04 PM

    Hi PJ, thank you for sharing your poem. I think it is a really beautiful way to put how our mind chooses to remember our experiences. Even the bad days can be turned into good memories and into something that you can always look back on when needed. And the good days become treasures that you can always keep with you.

  25. Danielle on April 13, 2021 at 11:24 PM

    Dear PJ,

    Your poem reminds me that people I was once close with can still be cherished. While time goes on and we lose some of our relationships, our memories keep them with us. While we may hold onto tangible objects to remind us of people, they are only snapshots into our memories of them and those are what we should love the most.

    Your words are beautiful,
    Danielle

  26. Nicole Burkoski on April 24, 2021 at 10:53 PM

    In My Mind by PJ
    This was incredibly insightful and imaginative, I loved reading it and truly embracing the words you wrote. I loved the way you described your cloudy, bleary eye as your mind progresses through memories. This was absolutely amazing and gives the reader a true glimpse into the mental journey that you take every day. Memories do remain untouched and that is a very unique way of looking at them. In addition the description of the memories resembles fine jewels that are taken care of and I loved it.

  27. cm on May 2, 2021 at 9:21 PM

    Hello PJ! I am a college student in an English class called Writing and Community, where we focus on community outreach to bond with those around us outside of the university setting. I really enjoyed reading the poem that you shared with Free Minds. I really appreciated the way you described your mind, with the sun, rain, clouds, and all. I think there is a lot of really good imagery throughout as well. I hope you keep writing and expressing yourself through poetry. I wish you good luck and good fortune in the future!

  28. Aracelli on May 3, 2021 at 9:11 PM

    Hi PJ,

    I love the reflection being done here on one’s memories. I also love the last lines about clouded memories, perhaps both by time and by tears? Really beautiful imagery is being created here. Good work.

  29. Reilly on May 5, 2021 at 11:13 AM

    I love the repetition of the words “mind” “eye” and “frozen”. I think you have done a wonderful job describing what it is like to have a memory frozen in your mind, one that you always can go back to. Your poem made me think of some of my own fond memories, which I thank you for. Amazing job!

  30. Billie Marcheva on May 6, 2021 at 11:17 PM

    Hey PJ,

    This is a beautiful work of art you’ve written. It gives me a whimsical feeling but it’s tinged with nostalgia and deep sorrow. Nonetheless, I feel this is a very hopeful and innocent poem.

    In my darkest points, I find it empowering that no one can ever control what I do in my own mind. It is the only place untouchable from the outside world. Your poem speaks to that.

  31. Jade on August 19, 2021 at 10:33 AM

    I really enjoyed your poem!! This poem is really calming and flows well. I love the way you describe how memories stay with us and how we can always look back on our previous experiences.

  32. Al on October 17, 2021 at 5:31 PM

    Dear PJ,

    Thank you for sharing your poem. It is written so well and filled with emotion. It is so difficult to portray emotions especially during challenging times. I believe that your poem can reach people’s hearts and thoughts.

  33. Reese on November 9, 2021 at 9:55 PM

    I love the memories you capture in this poem. Being able to remember things the way they were when you first perceived them is such a beautiful sentiment. This poem flows so well, and it’s such a comforting thought to think that we can preserve things in our minds even when everything else is changing around us. Thank you for sharing your words.

  34. Sophie on January 7, 2022 at 11:32 AM

    Dear PJ,
    I really loved your poem! Each line has it’s own beauty that contributes the meaning of the whole. I love the idea of things frozen and pristine in our memory. I wish that was how my mind worked, but I find that memories can often become unclear or even warped as time passes and as I grow and change as a person. But there will always be some memories that remain forever the same, and that I know I can return to for comfort. Thank you for this amazing poem.

    Sincerely,
    SS

  35. Kora on May 31, 2022 at 2:16 AM

    PJ,
    this is very beautiful writing on the reflections of memories we have of people. In our memories the picture is often blurry or cloudy as you stated. Also, I particularly love how you touched on how people in our memories are frozen perfectly. Our perceptions of people often show the best side of them. Maybe we should remember that others view ourselves like this in their memories. Know your loved ones cherish you in theirs and I encourage you to continue writing because you are wonderfully writing beautiful pieces.

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