The Edge of the Woods

I dreamt of moments of confession, the cleansing of my soul

underneath a crimson sun; in a vacant work lit by dusk.

I was woken by a shine beaming through my open window,

It whispered to me and lured me to the silent sleeping streets

Where we roamed deep into the dark hours,

Swaying on the cracked city pavement.

I followed it to mansions made of gold,

To houses dressed with decaying walls.

My soles swept man’s setting,

Dancing in the comfort of resting companions.

Then, the glow led me out beyond those walls

And we came to a vast plain built with beauty

Yet, my spine began to shiver

As we grew further from that of which I knew;

My precious gravel built roads.

We neared a jungle of woods, staring trees

Who parted their branches to invite me in

To the dim, frightening forest.

I stood for hours on the line of division,

Unable to make a decision regarding their request.

Then, my heart spoke and said that it could shine,

My inner essence, my core could be my light,

And so I stepped inside, smiling from my inner lit fire

And radiantly eager to explore the woods secret shadows.

Reviews

[Goodbye]

The woods and all they hold are so significant to me, and this poem really spoke to me. The decision to go in, to fully experience, can also be taken on a glorious metaphorical level.

Great work!

[Twilight]

A pleasant and dream-like piece of writing, although it is more like a story than a poem. When describing fear, it is not usually expressed by saying that the spine shivers. Writers generally say, that a shiver "ran up" or "went through" somebody's spine. However, I supect that the writer was simply trying to be creative with words here? Indeed, the wording is generally quite playful and makes pleasant reading throughout. Another minor error, is where the writer refers to the trees as "who". This is bad English, because the word "who" should only be applied in reference to people. Anyway, that's what I was told during my school days (in England). I genuinely enjoyed reading this piece, Cassandra. Thankyou kindly, for sharing it with us. Keep writing!

[Jonathan]

Not What I usually expect from you, but
I did enjoy your inner struggle with deciding
The city life or the wild life. Yet I do enjoy
How you choose to go into the wild. Very
Thoreau like. :)

[HopelesslyDevoted]

I love the line
"and so i stepped inside, smiling from my inner lit fire"
this is what we should be doing all the time- shining our lights from the inside of our hearts so much so that the poeple we are around us can see it from the outside.

[Truman S. Booth]

Beautifully written, with a wonderful message. It speaks of self-worth, to me; having the confidence to brave the "frightening forest[s]" that appear in each of our paths. Inspiring.

I would add an apostrophe to the last line, though, to make "woods" possessive. "And radiantly eager to explore the woods' (or wood's) secret shadows." Just a little grammar thing.

As usual, well done. Your style is vividly spectacular.

[MuSe Ampoule]

Amazing, this felt to me like the personification of a beam of light exploring the world. Wonderful and intimate.

[Fabian G. Franklin]

This reads like an eerily remembered dream...haunting in its vision and surreal in its memory...excellent!

[Robin]

I like how you move the reader from the trappings and burdens of civilization to a place of where one can find their self . I could hear the gravel road .

[InkSlinger]

Your use of imagery always builds such a strong story..
I absolutely love the lines..
"We neared a jungle of woods, staring trees
Who parted their branches to invite me in"

For some reason this resonates with me.. sometimes while standing at the trail-head I have a feeling of being watched.. perhaps this is what I am feeling..

[Arsenic Nemesis]

Wow, I really like this mortal, it's really well written and those last to line are amazing, love it! Keep up the good work!~