Poem with a Verse

By AC

Let me take you to a place I like to go,
when I’m looking for some answers
to the many, many questions
about things that I don’t know.

There is no car that could take you on this road,
no shoes that could make your steps feel any lighter,
and there is no amount of magical concoctions
that could ease any of our pains
as we continue to march on.

We’ll have to travel East
until the East begins to blur
and slowly eliminates
any difference it can hold
in contrast with the West.

And we’ll continue on
until the North lifts up its arms,
becomes brothers with the South,
and respectfully embraces
in something resembling warmth.

When we get close to where we are going,
the clock will keep on ticking,
but its measurements will no longer mean a thing.
You can come and stay with me forever,
but there will be no one that could tell you
what forever really means.

At this place, the twilight lasts a little longer,
shining light on our ever-winding road
that ahead of us continues twisting
in contrast with how straight it may now seem
on the parts we’ve left behind.

We’ll need to find a way
to get off the road that we walk on
and get on to the trail
that will take us to the world that lies beyond.

When I get onto this trail, I always see a pond;
the dim light reveals shining silver water
that shows me the reflection of the person that I was,
the person I will be, and the person that I am.

On the horizon, I see mountains,
darkened by the distance,
hidden by the shadows
of all the things that are unknown,
unseen from where we are.

When the hypnotizing spell is broken
and I continue walking,
fireflies slowly begin to gather by,
lighting up for every thought and every idea
that proved way too elusive
to keep bottled in my mind.
Now they gently float on the warm breeze,
blessing me with light.

I keep walking until the ground is just no more,
until the water in the shining silver pond
begins to cascade off the side of this small world.
I sit down,
and I let my feet dangle off the edge
while I’m staring into space,
trying to figure out where the fireflies lights end,
and where the glowing lights from all those stars begin.

GOD, it’s all so beautiful out here.
You would think it would be cold,
but it feels so nice and warm.
The wind carries the familiar scents
of all the things I miss from home.

The starlights hit the water and then scatter,
shining light on to my face,
reminding me at once
of what I love about this place.

I check inside my pockets
for the things of value, I have brought.
Inside one of the pockets, I find a small, torn piece of paper
with a verse that I once wrote.
In the other, I have nothing,
and so I get the thought:
I am the richest man alive,
for I have nothing to distract me
from what really matters in this life.

And as I sit out here,
feet dangling on the edge of the whole world,
thanking whoever thought the earth was flat,
for I like to come here now
when nostalgia, loneliness, and sadness
take a hold of my poor soul.

I think about the stars,
and I feel their loneliness as well,
they spend their whole lives shining
in a place so far away.

I think about my loved ones,
I want to hug them,
I want to kiss them,
I want to tell them to their face
that I love them so very much,
every passing second of every single day.

I want to see the sparkles in their eyes,
I want to hear the glorious sounds,
of their laughter and their smiles.
I want all those things I love,
I want to live them once again.
I want all of those things,
all those things that give me strength.

Come, sit down with me.
Come, look at the stars with me, my friend.

 

About this poem: I just wanted to take the reader out on a field trip and bring him/her into my mind. Sorry for mess, I don’t usually have much company inside my head. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Good luck figuring out the symbolism.  

34 Comments

  1. Brittani Forman on November 2, 2020 at 10:49 AM

    Hi AC! It is nice to hear what goes on in your head lol. That may sound weird but I liike to hear how people think or what they think about. It makes me understand them better or at least try too. Keep making poetry because you are truly talented and gifted. Love the poem

  2. ken on November 2, 2020 at 11:07 AM

    This poem was different then some of the other ones I have read. You do not focus on current events or problems in the world. It is refreshing that you just want to take us on a journey. The description throughout the poem is very well written. Overall, this was a really good poem! Keep on writing!!

  3. Reid Baron on November 2, 2020 at 11:09 AM

    What a glorious vision, my friend!

  4. JM on November 2, 2020 at 11:46 AM

    Dear AC,

    Thank you for sharing this poem! I really enjoyed the images of unity that you included in the beginning of it, between North and South and East and West. I also really liked the fact that, even though one of the themes of this poem is being alone, it starts and ends with the idea of unity, and it has a calm and peaceful mood throughout. The idea of walking a straight path versus taking a trail or a winding path reminds me of how living a life rooted in love is often more unpredictable than a life dedicated to a conventional order– but also more worth it. I really appreciated the wisdom you offered in this poem.

    Best,
    JM

  5. Skyler on November 3, 2020 at 6:25 PM

    I really liked your poem, especially your use of directions!

  6. Jenna on November 5, 2020 at 1:29 PM

    This is beautiful. I love the messages of unity and growth.

  7. Sophie on November 5, 2020 at 2:12 PM

    Hello AC,
    I loved the description and simplicity to this. The beginning reminded me of the hardships of the passage of time, and the conclusion left me with a sense of peace and comfort. The mountain imagery really reminded me of my grandpa and how he always says that he is fortunate just by being loved. I was brought to tears by your writing (not bad tears though!). Thank you for sharing this.

  8. Logan on November 5, 2020 at 2:35 PM

    That’s some powerful stuff, AC. It’s really impactful to see you describe a special place to you with such beautiful imagery, whether the place is real or not. I feel like I truly know it now. Thanks to the wonderful descriptions you gave, it’s a vivid you blurry picture, more ideas than actual places. I really appreciated the way you compared the fireflies and the starts, stating that it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began on your peaceful path. It was a good poem, please keep writing. It’s good stuff.

  9. Aliyah Abdallah on November 8, 2020 at 7:05 PM

    I was really touched by reading your poem. It was written very beautifully and with so much emotion. Growing up I always showed my love to the people around me and everyone told me to stop because they thought that it was annoying. Reading this made me realize that I don’t ever regret any decisions I made in life. I hope you find this place one day and you see it with the people you love and care about.

  10. Preeti on November 11, 2020 at 2:57 PM

    Hi AC,

    This was amazing! I definitely felt like I went out on a field trip. Life never goes in a straight line, I thoroughly enjoyed the “mess” you wrote. The very beginning, when you take us to a place that you know, I was fully ready for the journey, excellent. Also, travelling East, that’s how the world began, right? The folks in the West came east until they hit West again. Great job. I want to keep reading this piece, because every time I look at it, I discover another layer. It’s so well executed. Thank you for inviting me into your space.

    Best,
    Preeti

  11. Rachel on November 11, 2020 at 3:00 PM

    I really enjoyed the line “I am the richest man in the world, for I have nothing to distract me from what really matters.” WOW! powerful. People are always yearning for more more more. But from this poem I can tell that you live life from the perspective that family is most important and I really admire that.

  12. Preeti on November 11, 2020 at 3:23 PM

    “We’ll have to travel East
    until the East begins to blur
    and slowly eliminates
    any difference it can hold
    in contrast with the West.”

    I love this, the symbolism of how nations travelled East in search of… everything. This is so good, the symbolism throughout your piece is great. Thank you for the field trip!

  13. Cy on November 12, 2020 at 4:18 PM

    Thank you for taking me into a trip on what happens inside your mind. It was as if I was taken into a whole new world.

  14. Andrea on November 13, 2020 at 5:25 PM

    I love all the imagery. My favorite part is the lines: “I am the richest man alive, for I have nothing to distract me
    from what really matters in this life.” So true. Keep up the good work.

  15. Cameron on November 16, 2020 at 10:49 AM

    AC,
    Wow, I love the imagery in this poem. You do such a great job being able to paint a picture through your words. One of my favorite stanzas is: “fireflies slowly begin to gather by,/ lighting up for every thought and every idea/ that proved way to elusive/ to keep bottled in my mind.” This shows how safe of a place this is, that all your ideas and thoughts are free and floating. Thank you for this field trip into your mind! It is a beautiful place.

    -Cameron

  16. Shaikh on November 18, 2020 at 9:28 PM

    I personally really love this piece, I thought it was very whimsical and fantastical in terms of the imagery it created and the visual scenery that it set. The diction was done very well and the tone was set very consistently throughout the piece. My favorite part was the scene at the end where the reader is sitting with the narrator at the edge of the world and looking at the stars, and the narrator invites the reader to watch with them. I think this poem is very powerful in conveying an emotion of yearning.

  17. Gracie on November 18, 2020 at 9:44 PM

    The usage of the different directions was interesting in connection to the theme of the planet/earth, and I’m a big fan of the imagery. The lighthearted tone made me happy to read. I also really like the ending.

  18. Lexie on November 19, 2020 at 7:38 PM

    AC,
    This poem was incredibly powerful and had some of the most incredible symbolism in writing I have ever read. You have such a talented gift with writing, and I was transported when I read this. I felt the peace, the heartbreak, and the simple joys you described. Thank you for writing this, it was incredibly powerful.

  19. Grishma on November 21, 2020 at 4:36 PM

    This is a beautiful and imaginative poem. The repetition in the last two stanzas is very touching and full of emotion and resilience. I admire the way you are able to capture the feelings of loneliness and missing the past, through your descriptive imagery of the stars and their glowing light.

  20. Elaine on November 24, 2020 at 3:14 PM

    Thank you for this beautiful diversion and wondrous glimpse into your mind… I did indeed enjoy it very much. Wishing you much peace and love. <3

  21. Kate on November 24, 2020 at 4:15 PM

    Hi AC,

    This poem was really such a joy to read – the slant rhyme made the rhythm feel like a stone skipping across water, softly skimming every few beats. There was something soothing in the journey and I especially loved the line about the verse you wrote and nothing in the other pocket, so you get the thought…that was really a stroke of genius. Thanks for taking this reader on the field trip with you and keep writing!

  22. Joyce on December 8, 2020 at 3:14 PM

    Dear AC,

    This poem is so beautiful, it stirs both joyful and melancholy emotions in me. I cannot imagine being able to write like this, I am not a poet, so I am very impressed with your ability to write such lovely imagery. I’m sure I don’t understand all your intentions, but each stanza of this poem felt meaningful and important. You highlight human resilience in the second stanza, when you reference people continuing to march on, despite pain. I like how you blur the distinctions between East and West, and North and South, because we are all really one people who should love each other. I like how you keep referencing the future — it evokes hope and inspires us to become better people. The picture you paint of the starlight and water and fireflies is just stunning. In the last 3 stanzas, I can feel your yearning to be with your loved ones as you imagine them. I hope that you may be able to spend lots of time with them soon, if you’re not with them now! Thank you for this lovely poem, it is truly a work of art. I’m wishing you all the best.

    Sincerely,
    Joyce

  23. Maggie on December 11, 2020 at 12:21 PM

    I really liked this poem, and how it was written. It was very descriptive and I thought it did a good job of leaving people with various images in their minds.

  24. Callie Cloran on December 13, 2020 at 9:50 AM

    AC, this is a beautiful, inviting poem. I felt all of the emotions and feel drawn to the stars. Thanks for sharing.

  25. Sabryn Ferchichi on December 16, 2020 at 2:22 PM

    AC,

    This is really like an escape. Your descriptiveness is mesmerizing and I love how it’s clear that I’m taking a “field trip” into your mind. I love trying to interpret people’s meanings and relate them to myself. To me, what stuck out was: I think about the stars, and I feel their loneliness as well, they spend their whole lives shining
    in a place so far away.” Whenever I relate to anything it’s always stars and how what you look up at is just old light, they’re not alive anymore. This line emphasizes this message to me, waiting around to be seen just for it to be too late. I don’t know if this is your intended message, but that’s how I saw it. Great work!

  26. Virginia on December 21, 2020 at 12:21 PM

    Wow, AC. Thank you for sharing this glimpse into your head. I really really loved this poem. I might have to print it out so I can keep it close at hand.
    I’m trying to figure out how to write about what I liked about this poem, because I can’t quite put my finger on all of it. I’ll just start by talking about the images that really resonated with me. I had to read the fifth stanza over and over because I was so enthralled by this idea of a clock ticking into forever while time no longer means anything. I also loved the image of feet dangling on the edge of the whole world during a quiet moment of contemplation. Together with your images of a winding road, a silvery pond, a warm breeze, you conveyed such a sense of tranquility mixed with an undercurrent of both hope and sadness.
    It reminds me a bit of dreams I’ve had where I’m walking around in a big empty landscape, and it’s still and quiet and beautiful but I have an eerie sense of impending doom. But I don’t really feel the sense of doom in your poem. In fact, I love the way you conveyed your gratitude to God and to the world for your happy memories, the people and places you love, even if they are far away right now and you feel lonely.
    One of my favorite things about good poetry is the way it can convey emotions and ideas that are usually so difficult to describe. I think you did such an excellent job at doing just that with this beautiful poem. Thank you!

  27. Rebecca on December 24, 2020 at 9:39 AM

    AC, I just finished reading your poem. I am blown away by it. I was hooked from that very first line, “Let me take you to a place I like to go, when I’m looking for some answers . . . ” It was so enticing, I couldn’t resist reading on. When I did, I found myself quickly immersed, lost in the world that you were describing. It was such a vivid experience because you have a certain way with words and images that is just captivating. I especially loved the stanza that starts, “I check inside my pockets . . . “; the imagery and that ending line will stay with me for a long time.

    You are a gifted writer. Please keep writing and sharing the world inside your mind . . .

  28. Jordan on January 18, 2021 at 11:52 AM

    AC,
    This poem is amazing! I felt like I was there with you, taking a trip to the place that you described in your mind. You have a powerful way with words that made me as a reader feel like I was a part of the poem, looking at the stars. Thank you for sharing your work and I hope that you will continue to keep up the great work!

    -Jordan

  29. carlygallanter on February 23, 2021 at 4:45 PM

    I love this poem and the style it was written in. It felt freeing and like I was “in it” if that makes sense. Thank you AC

  30. cm on May 2, 2021 at 2:48 PM

    Hi AC – thank you for sharing this with the world! I am currently a student in a college English class called Writing and Community, which focuses on service learning and community service. We have a goal of working with the communities around us to enhance our learning and support their missions. I really enjoyed reading your poem and getting a glimpse inside your head. I think it so beautifully written, and I really think all the readers of this poem were able to get an idea of the thoughts you have. There was great use of symbolism and comparisons, and I think this is the type of poem you could read over and over and interpret differently each time. I sincerely hope you continue to write poetry, you seem to have a talent and a passion. Good luck in the future!

  31. Billie Marcheva on May 5, 2021 at 8:42 PM

    Hi, AC,

    This one hit different. I definitely felt right by your side the whole time. Your writing is so breathtaking and vivid. By the end, I felt a deep pang of pain that settled into a heavy nostalgia. I hope you get to experience, in person, in vivid flesh and blood, the things that keep you going – all the things you love and give you strength. You are incredibly strong. Your poem emits the sort of unstoppable, pure, radiant resilience that only people who have been through heartbreaking adversity have cultivated within them. I see that in you and I am so proud of you for your unbreakable strength. Keep shining. Sending lots of love.

  32. ZP on October 17, 2021 at 7:24 PM

    This was such a nice read! the imagery really captivates you and you can feel yourself being there looking at the stars, by far my favorite!

  33. Rachel on December 17, 2021 at 11:13 PM

    Such beautiful imagery with the outlook you have. It was a nice journey reading this poem and hope it helped you express some of your thoughts. Wish you well!”

  34. Andrew F on April 7, 2022 at 8:39 PM

    AC – this was an incredible vision you put into words. Before I get into my specific thoughts, a classic poem I think you might like is “Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Read it and you’ll see why I thought of it while reading this.

    The freedom you remind the reader is truly in our mind. No matter where we physically are, you challenge us to go to a place beyond physical confines. The sensory imagery is incredible and the constant tugging at reality, crossing physical with metaphysical.

    Something about your line around being grateful to everyone who thinks the world is flat, allowing you to be in this place really hit me. They don’t see what you see because you’re looking into a dimension beyond their comprehension.

    Towards the end I think the experience just gets deeper when you start attaching human emotions to stars, like loneliness – everything has feelings because this world’s fabric is made up of feelings, not atoms.

    Thank you for this wonderful poem, it made my day to read!

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