a black eye for hope

a black eye for hope

 

 

 

 

I breathe Black Eyed Susans

swaying

in that Northeast breeze

where the barbed wire fences

keep the memories

tucked away

 

like cows in a dry pasture

vacant of inspiration

to fill the pans

they just stare from their stalls

and udder poems

as they moo into the night

under a moon

one of them supposedly jumped over

 

in disgust of an earth

of barbed wire fences

surrounding the hypocrisy

that drains us all dry

of giving

 

even the Black Eyed Susans

no longer make me smile

I dreamed once

really dreamed

crawled through

and under 

that barbed wire

till I bled tears from the tears

in my heart

 

now like an apathetic animal

a dumb one who merely stands in the fire

and melts

 

I am dry now

that pasture looks enticing

I just want stare

chew on my memories

and be left alone.

 

 

erin-cilberto

10/29/22

Reviews

[AYVID N]

Things of beauty are defeated by wires and fences. So is inspiration and hope.
There may be a pasture enticing enough but the barbed wires will always play on the mind.
We fight till we bleed but eventually give up to the fencing.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

your response is more poetic and better than the poem.
thank you, DIVYA,
j.

[AYVID N]

You're welcome and have a great day :)

[Red Brick Keshner]

Past the barb wire and the sagging rope that dipped into a muddy lake we had to crawl through narrow concrete pipes that gave me a foreshadowing of the claustrophobia that would turn into debilitating episodes three decades later. And that black eye, rather the plant have it than me. Had my childhood run ins and that is where they will remain?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, on the run-ins...and the black eyes.
I am claustrophobic as well...so I hear you,
j.

[John the Baptist]

I recall crawling under barbed wire during basic training. Not a pleasant experience at all. The barbed wire described here, I think, is symbolic of the barriers to creativity the world presents to the artist. Enough frustration can lead to apathy consoled only by memories.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, John...you always consider the poems you read so carefully....and come up with astute observations..
j.

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Jacob… I miss Black eyed Susan’s. Last night on Halloween… it was a Moonless night… so dark; however the youngest Children saw the Light and I felt like an Angel to the little ones… all bright eyed and dreaming with Hope. gently, Pat

[jacob erin-cilberto]

you were and are an angel, Pat,
j.

[Patricia Wedel]

Thank you Mr. Moon… have you seen my Halo…. among the Stars…

[willweb]

Perhaps where the saying "Putting one out to pasture" came from. This thinking it seems grows more and more normal as each day passes and the world, at least our part of it leaves more questions than answers across the cities. Back to the farm where life was simple and cows didn't complain. Really cool Jacob.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, the ones I knew in Vermont...they never complained..
thank you, will,
j.

[softlyfall]

I feel very fortunate. I am still delighted and awed by very simple things, all the time, even after everything that happened. I wish I could breathe joy into this poem, awaken hope in it. There is still so much more to read and so much more to write and so much more to dream about while standing in a field of black eyed susans.
Drains us all dry of giving is such a powerful line- on so many levels

[jacob erin-cilberto]

oh my gosh, Amy....me too....the simplest things still hold the greatest thrills for me.
Yes, more to dream, more to write.
thank you, Amy....
Let us just keep enjoying the simple.
j.

[Coyote Poetry]

Yes Jacob, me too.
"I am dry now
that pasture looks enticing
I just want stare
chew on my memories"
I did enjoy the words my friend. Thank you for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote
and be left alone.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Coyote...I guess we all get to that point at times.
j.

[Coyote Poetry]

We do Jacob and you are welcome.

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

Sometimes memories and dreams are better than the present days especially at present times
This is a great poem you did it justice

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you so much, Julie,
j.

[W. Barrett Munn]

The translunar bovine rumor is still at it, I see. Udder nonsense, I think.

Winston

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thanks for the smile, Winston.
j.

[Patricia]

This is amazing and really speaks to me. It’s emotional and visually so, it’s heavy and in the end exhausting which I so very much share with the words. Life is exhausting and as I get older I too prefer my own company more so than ever and just stand around chewing on my cud, it’s not so bad, but youths energy is better, sigh.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, it is...
thank you, Patricia,
j.