Dirt

This was a bit of an exercise in stream of consciousness writing that I do from time to time to get the juices flowing. Felt like a spoken word piece so, I gave it the label.

Digging in the dirt

my hands outstretched

before me grasping

clawing

seeking

covered to the elbows

they submerge further

and further

no purchase to be had

over and over

fists come up empty

the grit upon me

gets on me

mixes with sweat

and saliva crunching

beneath my teeth

so clenched

in frenzied breath

I fall into the hole

that I've created

I continue to mine

for gold

ruby

sapphire

I desire

crave

quest

with all of me

deeper

as I go

until a momentary

tilt of my

fixed gaze

reveals nothing

darkness

all that there is

lost in obsession

I am

the dirt

Reviews

[KeelyJane]

Nice. I like the way this reads. The format is well fitting. This is one of my favorites of yours for sure.

[Astro]

Thanks for the compliment, it did come off quite well for something that was born of just letting my mind flow. Glad you liked it.

[Dr. Wood ?]

if you have a goal, you just have to go for it..sod the consequences

[Astro]

Sometimes that is good advice but I personally would have to say that there are often misguided persons that think they are looking for one thing, and get another and so, could be to their detriment. But if no one ever kept pushing for something, boundaries would never be shed and new and exciting experiences and things wouldn't come into being. So, I don't fully disagree you're on to something Doc, must be you've reached a goal in this fashion yourself once or twice. ;) Thanks for the review.

[Jack...]

Ashes to ashes...somehow I think we all become the dirt again, the questions are, do we become lush fertile soil or the byproduct of a barren wasteland. I think it is how we dig that answers those questions. Very cool Astro, once again a bit of a style shift for you. I liked it.

[Astro]

Well, when it comes to style, I've never really thought that I had one in particular. I've always tried to tackle a poem as it comes by finding the form that suits it best. Interesting way to look at it Jack with the Ashes to Ashes concept. Thanks for the review.

[s y e]

Oh how I love to do a little treasure hunt in the garden with the kids, haha. We do it every easter, take them out the back and hide eggs and chocolates, haha. :P This was a great write, Astro - some lovely imagery, too. I loved how you personified 'dirt' bringing it to life.

~ Noodle ~

[Astro]

Thanks Noodle, hope you find some more of them eggs!! Glad you liked this one.

[Seth Durham]

I like the imagery. Sometimes we can work had at something (dig through the dirt), give it all we've got and still come up empty handed. Such is life.

[Astro]

That could be true but life is about change, so depending on your perspective, that same man that toiled so long and came up empty may seem like a tragedy to some, but he had purpose so then, what is the tragedy one man living with purpose or another who could never find one. Just thoughts, thank you for your very thoughtful review.

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Interesting piece... I like the way that you almost personify the "dirt" in this one; you become the dirt, thus giving the dirt a beating heart, thoughts, etc. Great imagery here, and such raw, gritty emotion. I also enjoy the internal struggle here; digging in the dirt becomes a metaphor for internal struggle and angst. Great emotion.

[Astro]

There is definitely some struggle with digging in the dirt, and moments of angst although they usually turn into a near hopeless apathy, but are ever overtaken by the obsession and persistence.

[Astro]

Thank you for the kind review.

[Kristin Lee]

This is a great piece! So raw and real. Your words totally made me want to either play in a garden or take my metal detector out on a treasure hunt so that I could play in the dirt :)

[Astro]

Well then, at least it's inspiring. Go get dirty and tell me what you find. ;) Thanks for the review K.

[Aseel]

I really liked this poem that i have read it more than once . It carries an important message for all of us that sometimes we work too hard to get what we want and then we get nothing after all the hard work we have done . I also understood from this poem that the dirt means that humanbeings sometimes dont care about the way they take to achieve their desires in life . I mean that the human desire sometimes make people act without thinking of the repercussions and i have wrote a piece talking about how the human desires somtimes are very strongs that can lead people to be even worse than animals in brutality

[Astro]

Another great interpretation of my poem, thank you very much Aseel. I'm glad you read it over twice and gained deeper perspectives through it. Thanks for your excellent review.

[Emily B]

we were always the dirt, mammaw used to tell me when i was a dirt-phobic little girl that we all have to eat a pound of dirt before we die anyway, which between you and me didn't help a whole lot . . . i find healing when i get my toes in the dirt, joints that ached arthritic sigh and breathe free, and the really best, best part of getting really dirty all over

is how much more you enjoy being clean again

[Astro]

A pound of dirt seems light for a lifetime, but maybe I'm just a little too dirty. Getting clean is definitely a marvelous thing when you find yourself covered in mud, but for all intensive purposes this piece makes getting dirty worth while. Thanks for your review.

[Emily B]

the phrase is for all intents and purposes :)

[Astro]

Ya, you got me there. I think I'll blame that one on just waking up. lol.

[Emily B]

good enough :)

[Troy Henson]

Astro I loved it. HOw often we find ourselves working so hard but comes the time where no matter how hard we try we come up empty. Its almost as if we need to go ack some how and start again.

"Focus less on the prize more on the journey to get there"

The flow in this was fantastic Astro. I really enjoyed this one.

Regards
Troy

[Astro]

Thanks, that's an interesting interpretation. You are correct though in asserting that we don't usually focus enough on the journey until it's over. Glad you enjoyed it!! Peace.