it wasn't really like it was, was it?

it wasn't really like it was, was it?

 

 

 

the far away little boy

in the City of paradox,

the country within the hot asphalt heart

 

windows open wide to the sound of the Harlem River

the speed boats dotting the waves like ink spots

swirls of cursory magic, letters to be written into poems

 

but years later, the concrete becomes abstract

a warm winter night,

the magic returns with a quarter moon's logic

 

 

somewhere in a borough a thousand miles away

there is an imprint on an old street

by an apartment where an approximate, aged poet

 

sees his younger reflection

shuts his window of imagination

and puts down his pen.

 

 

erin-cilberto

12/16/15

Reviews

[alifeacoustic]

The reflection is always cruel to the minds eye. Looking back, we look not only at what we were, but what we stood for. Remembering the thoughts and hopes of that younger self is often much crueller to us than the reflection we see in the mirror. But sometimes, we realise maybe we are too hard on ourselves too.
Captivating write, as always.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your insightful words, alife...

j.

[Jimmy Yetts]

A Bronx flashback.
Your past made you who you are; it's, undoubtedly, a good past--even if, at times, a harsh teacher.
Apparently, that pen didn't stay down for long.
Great stuff, Jacob!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Jimmy....
j.

[Marcus Sergiu David]

Beautiful choice of words, as always. I liked this one a lot. But why put down the pen ?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Marcus...
j.

[andrew mitchell]

That special moment when something triggers a beautiful time in your life which seems like yesterday and on reflection you just take all that imagery in. Nicely flowed J. I really like this!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, andrew.

j.

[M. Shepherd]

Me in my incessant naivete with seemingly no end, no end to the blunders of youth and looking upwards want to shout NO your pen is right where it belongs, this is an incarnation of your younger self speaking saying imagine when I'll have known much more of what it is I am to know on this earth and imagine what refined craft might erect from my.pen then..
I love how the titular first line exists as a poem on its own, a sort of wandering thought that has gotten lost in the empty space of time before the rest of the poem starts..

[jacob erin-cilberto]

really appreciate your insights, Marcie....

j.

[CD Campbell]

A lot of great imagery in this. I don't believe the whole put down the pen thing. For a while maybe, at least until the demons can subside. Dealt with that not too long ago. Lot of great lines in this. "The country within the hot asphalt heart" stands out the most for me. CD

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, CD.

j.

[...]

Did you always want to be a teacher, Jacob? When I was young, I wanted to be a dancer, then a veterinarian, followed by a journalism, photography...Not once did I think of being a mother or a corrections officer. Both of these would have seemed much to confining for me. Sometimes we have to loose ourselves to find ourselves. Maybe regrets are growing pains. The heart is a muscle and muscles have to be exercised, even torn, to grow. Life is a mystery and living it is the adventure, we chose :)
All of this is your fault, for making me think...lol

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i bet you are great at both...as for me...i think it was always in me to be a teacher, even though it took me years to actually get there---
glad to hear your thoughts...and i will gladly accept the blame ...:)

j.

[CA Anurag Sharma]

"but years later, the concrete becomes abstract
a warm winter night,
the magic returns with a quarter moon's logic"

What a brilliant lines Sir... so deep.... thanks for sharing this brilliant piece....

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Anurag...

j.

[Jennesis]

The lens we view our world through is always colored by something. Idealistic fantasy of youth though, is a beautiful one. Because yes, it was really like that, and all at once it wasn't. The 'city of Paradox' line caught my breath, what an image of that brings to my mind. I felt anloss though, at the end, putting down the pen...like closing a chapter in your life. I'll be thinking of this one for a while. I have a piece that been rolling around my head for a couple weeks now, I need to take some time and get it down. It's about those 4D memories that exist in our minds. With all our senses blazing, they transcend time.
~Jennesis

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, Jen...really enjoy your visits and insightful replies...

j.

[Kirty labra]

The knowledge you hold about litterature can be clearly seen in this poem, its truly beautiful sir

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Kirty...
j.

[Alfred Kukitz]

You have a way of blowing the reader away with awesome poetic beauty. My compliments!

Regards,

Al

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for the kind words, Al.

j.