Breeze of Time
By AC
Sometimes I feel
As if my shadow has walked too far ahead,
As if I’ve been left behind to contemplate
The things I do remember
And the things I did forget.
And I notice the things that are not there;
Perhaps more than I did when they still were.
I guess it’s just part of human nature
To appreciate what we once had
Only after the present turns to past,
The past is laid to rest, and an empty hand is all that’s left.
But some things will simply never die,
They go on and on to live forever, like emotions;
Like I love you now as I loved you on that day;
Like your memory, an echo that keeps bouncing
Off of walls that every passing second shake and tremble
At the slightest breeze of time carrying your name.
You are still a reflection on a mirror
Refusing to disappear long after any reason and logic
Would deem it to be prudent to dissipate into thin air,
To become one with what’s not remembered nor forgotten,
To live only in my mind, within the confinements of my head.
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AC, this poem is breathtaking. You perfectly capture the sorrowful feeling of missing someone/something, and having only a memory of them to keep you going. This is such a relatable, human feeling, and it really spoke to me. The images you use are also really powerful and evoke the fleeting, short-lived nature of memory. The “reflection on a mirror,” the slight whisper on a breeze, a bouncing echo, and, my favorite, the lost shadow that’s “walked too far ahead.” These are so good, I’m almost mad you came up with them before I could! Really, really great stuff here. Keep it up.
This is a great poem. Makes me think of memories past and people I care deeply for. Excellent writing.
This poem is so moving. You capture the feeling of being lost in the past, and I love the image of your shadow walking on without you. I love this moment in the poem: “Like I love you now as I loved you on that day;” How it’s beautiful that love lasts forever but also how heartbreaking it can be. You captured that so well. Thank you.
I really enjoyed this poem. You did a marvelous job writing it.
This poem is a great reflection on reflection! I think the first stanza creates a good introduction to the theme of the poem, and the theme is solidified with the second stanza. In the second stanza, I really like the third and fourth lines, “I guess it’s just part of human nature to appreciate what we once had”. I think it is super important to remind ourselves that at the end of the day we are just human and make human mistakes. Reflecting on your past can be really good for an individual because they are able to analyze how they may have been able to do things differently, but it can also be very easy to beat yourself up over what you could’ve and “should’ve” done, so being able to recognize that it is human nature to reflect on ourselves and to realize it’s okay to make mistakes is very important! The third stanza is outstanding. The last three lines are such a great analogy, and create an emotional and passionate image for the reader. The last stanza does a lovely job of concluding the themes and emotions of the poem and leaves the reader with something to think about. Very well done!
Hi AC,
Your poem is a great look at how powerful memories are and how they make us feel. It is a beautiful and sad look at the power of memories and the feelings they bring. The image of the shadow walking ahead while you are left behind to think about what you remember and what you forget is especially powerful. Many people can relate to the idea that we don’t really appreciate what we have until it’s gone. A powerful image is the idea that emotions last forever and that the memory of a loved one won’t go away. Your poem is well-written, and the language is evocative and emotive.
This poem feels like a really good reflection on the past, present, and future. A big part of human nature is looking back at the past but also forgetting the things that have happened. This was like a walk through memory lane to me. Before reading this poem I was thinking about the future and reading the poems. My present right now is reading this poem, but in a few hours, I may look back at this fondly in the past. Word choices like dissipate, prudent, and tremble to make for a very descriptive and informative poem. This poem was very relatable and I think many people will like it. My favorite line is “But some things will simply never die”. You were able to build upon this line and it made for a great poem.
I really like this poem because I was felt as though I could understand the emotions. I especially relate to the line where you say to appreciate what we once had only after the present turns to past. This reminds me of a quote I saw the other day that read “remember what you wanted what you currently have?” While this may not be entirely similar I felt as though it relates because you don’t always know how lucky you are until what you have isn’t there anymore. What do you think it means to be remembered or forgotten? I think that’s such a complex subject that I really haven’t had the chance to think about before. Now that I have become aware I think that the people around us remember us and what we do for others is what is not forgotten.
To AC- There is so much imagery in your poem, it’s impressive. It’s hard to remember certain parts of your life, whether you want to remember those moments or not. It’s prevalent to wish things were the same as they were in the past, but that’s the beauty of it. Life is constantly changing for everyone, whether it’s good or bad. Memories of what once was, can be both rewarding and disheartening, you can remember the good times but also the bad times. It’s essential to look at these memories as positive no matter what it’s about. If it’s a memory about a bad time in your life think about how you’re no longer in that place. If it’s a good memory be grateful that you were able to experience something like that. Amazing poem!
“You are still a reflection on a mirror,” This imagery of a person in a mirror, blurry(?) and indistinct but also incredibly familiar is something I’ve thought a lot about. Knowing someone and missing them in evenly great amounts is, I think, a universal experience, but that doesn’t make it any less heartbreaking. Noticing the parts of somebody that are not there anymore, the absences where there should be a whole, living breathing person just hammers home how much they meant to you. It’s bittersweet and you feel guilty knowing that you will forget (are forgetting) parts of them. Something universal and extremely personal.
What I like about this poem is how relatable it is. My take on this poem is about going through heartbreak and how afterward you don’t feel like you. Almost an out-of-body experience. That every day is a struggle, moving in what feels like slow-mo. I got that feeling when you said “As if my shadow has walked too far ahead.” What’s also beautiful is how you explain that all the memories you had soon turn to the past and what’s left is an empty hand. This was beyond beautiful, I believe you explained it so well. We all walk with the memories forever that echo in our heads. Keep writing! Absolute beautiful work!
I really appreciate and resonate with this idea that sometimes our darkness can lead us and guide our actions – leaving our light behind to watch and regret. The regret that we often face as we ponder our past actions really can be all consuming and lonely. But then you point to what the darkness doesn’t have: hope and love. The cure to the regret we feel is the loving memories that we hold. Strong, powerful, and stubborn, they guide us from the darkness.
Overall, I really love the soft tone of this poem, and I find it really powerful. I think this is a delightful piece of work, and keep up the great job!
This poem really hit. To me, I interpret it as being about regret and a lost love–I like that it’s never specified how the love was lost, whether due to physical or emotional barriers, or whether they even existed at all. The opening stana is amaing, and my favorite lines are the opening ones: “Sometimes I feel/ As if my shadow has walked too far ahead”. I think a lot of people can relate to feeling as if a part of them is stuck in the past while everyone and everything else moves on.
This is an amazing poem, you really dug into your true emotions and made the poem feel relatable to others as well. The first part of this poem is about how sometimes you watch yourself from a distance while you are left behind thinking of all your faults and seeing the bad parts that nobody else sees. This relates to me because for example, I’m a very self conscious person and I only see the bad in my appearance, while others only see good. I think you really hit on that topic because I feel like people don’t talk about it enough. My favorite line in this poem is “You are still a reflection in the mirror” and I kinda relate this to no matter how badly you feel about yourself you are still a person, you still deserve love and happiness. I think this poem is absolutely amazing thank you for sharing!
I really liked the part about the person not leaving your head. I feel as though I had the same experience, where a person I loved, who was not necessarily with me, was in my head in the present, even though it was a memory from the past. Overall, the poem resonated with me because of the fact that it showed me how I think of my past self in the present, as an image in a mirror, that is scarily tangible.
This poem has a serious topic of self-reflection which makes a drastic contrast with other positive ones. The moody descriptions of how the author think back about the past is a bit depressing. However, the author tried to end with a positive note that even though there might be dark memory hidden inside our brain, but we have to live on and become stronger.
Hi AC,
I loved the way your poem flowed. Like what you tagged- “emotions, future, memory, and past” I felt that and tried to envision what you’ve been through. This poem reminds me of a loved one that passed away but it also makes me wonder if you may be speaking about a different version of yourself that has died. I feel like this poem has two meanings and if that’s the case it was very clever! If any of what I’m saying relates to what you mean then just know that you are not alone. I have similar thoughts and you expressed yourself so well. Thank you for sharing!
CD
Hello!
Thank you so much for sharing this poem. I thought that your imagery was beautiful, and I especially loved the line about your shadow being farther ahead of you. I thought this poem was very interspective and you portrayed the feelings of self-reflection really well
I really like how this poem discusses the passage of time and self-growth. It also discusses how a person can make such a profound impact on you that you remember it long after they are gone – and maybe even forever. I enjoyed the discussion of how the past shapes the future. Thank you for sharing!
This poem is beautifully written and captures so many emotions in such a deep way. It made me feel as if I just lost someone I loved, and am trying to figure out how to move forward without them. You do an amazing job at highlighting how you are reminded of the specific memories of that person and showing how it seems as if you can never escape the loss of them.
This is such a touching and poignant reflection on human turmoil. To watch the world keep moving while we dwell in the past, and to only be able to dwell in moments once they’re over is a universal anxiety. It truly isn’t logical, but the cyclical nature of this experience seems to continue regardless.
Thank you for sharing your writing.
AC, I loved reading this poem, it was really special especially for me as I have had many similar thoughts throughout my life that relates to this story, as I look in the past as if the time went by so fast, there’s definitely one thing i’ve learned and that is to enjoy the time with the people you have, because you never know what tomorrow looks like. I also like how you state things will never die, the memories or events will always be there whether it’s good or bad, but the only way to let them go is to look past and onto the good ones.
Hi AC. This poem is breathtaking. It is really notable to talk about how sometimes you feel like your life got away from you or as you put it “As if my shadow has walked too far ahead”. It happens all too often. Sometimes you get so caught up in the little things in life that you forget time is of the essence. Thanks so much for sharing.
AC,
I love the image of a shadow leaving you behind. An entity that always trails has somehow surpassed. We all struggle with an expectation to heal and move on from experiences and people. Harboring feelings can make you feel stuck. I hope you find peace in your past and whatever still lingers.
This poem is overall beautiful. I love how you incorporated remembrance of what we once had, as that is really important to consider and think about deeply. What an ultimately interesting perspective, as I really love the way this poem was formed and how it made me feel and be thankful for all that I have and have went through.
i relate to this poem a-lot, i sometimes get lost in the past and its hard to stop thinking about your past.. time goes by so fast and i often dont take in the little things in life and i feel like i have not made enough memories or i lost some memories because life goes by so fast. keep writing
This poem is breathtaking. Makes me think of memories past and people I care deeply for. I love the image of a shadow leaving you behind. This is such a touching and poignant reflection on human turmoil.
I like how the poem symbolizes the past, present, and future of memories. I also like how this poem talks more about overshadowing people’s thoughts/ memories good or bad.
I love this poem, and think it perfectly shows a feeling of regret and melancholy that comes from thinking about the past. I have felt like this before, and thinking back on the past shows so many things that we didn’t notice then, but now remember fondly. I really relate to this poem.
I love how in this poem they put all this vocabulary that made it more interesting. I also liked how well it flowed as I read. This poem means so much more than what is written and typed on here.
This poem captures the bittersweet feeling of nostalgia and the human tendency to appreciate what we once had only after it’s gone. The imagery of the shadow walking too far ahead and the reflection on a mirror refusing to disappear are metaphors for the lasting impact of memories and emotions.
Your poem beautifully captures the bittersweet nature of memory and the passage of time. It conveys a sense of longing, nostalgia, and the enduring power of emotions and memories. The imagery of shadows, echoes, and reflections adds depth to the poem, creating a poignant and introspective tone.
I think your poem was beautifully written! Reflecting on your past can be really good for an individual because they are able to analyze how they may have been able to do things differently, but it can also be very easy to beat yourself up over what you could’ve and “should’ve” done!