Learning

and I still have so many things to learn

 

Your words flow

out of their banks

like fresh rivulets

that have never

been downstream.

 

My mind grabs the big ideas,

turns them over

and washes them in the cool,

clear water

at the edge of the river.

 

Little toy boats play

in the quiet wave

before being swept away

knowing loss

but not a name for it.

  

I know more than

I think I do, sometimes

sitting quietly at the river,

letting my thoughts

collect gently into

coherent, cohesive ideas.

Softly flowing words

carry me beyond myself,

to the far reaches

of everything

I've never known.

 

I walk away with

a shiny pebble

washed smooth by time

 

found reflected back

in the clear pool.

 

Reviews

[Vanessa Whiteley]

This is an old fav of mine. It is a joy to read again. I love the idea of taking someone's else's ideas and washing them in the cool, clear water at the edge of your mind. There is such a slow, dreamy feeling to this. I could could just drift down stream on your words. Lovely.

[Poetic Beauty]

The metaphors are great in this poem and the last two stanzas tie the whole poem up nicely. The details allow me to picture a woman sitting at the side of a river quietly thinking and reflecting on life.

[Alicia Schroeder]

Great writting..

[Robin]

the key is the pause, isnt it . somewhere quiet to let everything catch up ..

[Khitii Lae-Ahn]

Breathtaking...


Your words are a resplendant reflection of admiration and wonder...of inspiration that Anyone who has delved into the depths of an essence...which dares to soar above standard criterion and shine brighter than sun...to cast a rainbow into a crowd of grey....Knows in heated pulse of heart

This is an superbly beautiful, tonal piece

an absolutely delightiful melody carried on an inspired sigh...

[...]

. oh, emily ... this is one of the most beautiful odes i have ever read to the whole process of pausing and reflecting ... "letting my thoughts collect gently into coherent, cohesive ideas" ... is a tenet ... a dose of wisdom ... that is life-enriching beyond measure ... and that shiny pebble is such a beautiful image and metaphor ... overwhelmed i am ... ravishing poetry ...

[alan peter kelly]

you always get straight to the soul of matter...the natural flow...the nature of things...you treat everything with equal tenderness...and as reflection...it caresses you and in turn we are one with empathy...my mind flourishes when it views so expansive a vista....

[G. Marie"floating on an..]

this is a very well written poem,subject to various interpretations. thats whats great about poetry. we can read into it whatever we want it to be. I enjoyed this poem

[G. Cedillo]

"Softly flowing words
carry me beyond myself,
to the far reaches
of everything
I've never known."

--- a wonderful stanza! I think that should be the ending, actually. A great poem, wonderful pithy lines that have a huge impact, and great little stanzas that flow, one from the other, like a cool spring. Thanks for this read - it's nice imagery really helped bring my day to a nice close, uplifting and sweet.

thanks,
gc