all considered things

all considered things

i dreamed ideals

when i was spinning my wheels

only surrogate contentment

to hold me

while life slipped through 

like a fleeing orphan

searching purpose

roots

some kind of acceptance

in spurts of relevance

i pretended to matter

i was my own counsel

often disappearing into words

the friends who trusted me

with their lives

who took me serious

ideals no longer seem real

and reality is an overturned vehicle

lying in the middle of a road

definitely taken

but with half-commitment

and sparse attention

i am still looking for a home

and maybe in some years

i will find it,

when i no longer

have any idea

who i was.

erin-cilberto

11/6/22

Reviews

[willweb]

It never ends up being what we had in mind, I don't think. The world waits when you are young, everything is out there for you to grab but for whatever reason we don't always follow the paths we told ourselves we would follow, and then the next thing you know we are old and we ended up here. And wherever here is, it probably is not where we thought it would be. Very cool my friend.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your insightful words, will,
j.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

It's so funny. We think that we are going to live forever, but the years are never enough. When we are young and have energy to spare, we rarely focus enough to achieve the great things that we are capable of achieving. As we grow older, we lose the energy, vigor, and stability to maintain the dreams. They inevitably slip through our grasp, and we are left - wanting. The tragedy of life is in not living.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, all those regrets and the wish to live it all over again and erase the mistakes, the doubts, the hesitation.
thank you, Linda,
j.

[John the Baptist]

Noted the nod to Frost there. Yes, the road can be a rough one, with youthful ideals and beliefs lying motionless and deserted in the wake of time and events. Still, it is fruitless to damn the world for being what it always has been. The payoff lies in our ability to rise inwardly above it.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

sound philosophy, John...yes indeed,
j.

[W. Barrett Munn]

I wonder often how many of us there are who have spent lives as wanderers, or maybe nomadic wonderers is more like it. Upside down and wrecked in the middle of the road.

Winston

[jacob erin-cilberto]

yes, wrecked and upside down...thank you, Winston,
j.

[Lorry]

I couldn't help but laugh inadvertently at your title Jacob, which sums up perfectly that Brits and Americans are separated only by our common language.
Americans, pen beautiful poetry in response to a Brits response to being asked "How are you?"
The usual reply "Not too bad, all things considered." 😊
This video explains it much better than I ever could. And as you watch it, I shall eagerly await the next time I am asked, so I can write some poetry 😊

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=V7d79Knc8p4

[jacob erin-cilberto]

ha ha ha not too bad....awesome.
that guy is quite funny...thanks for the link.
j.

[AYVID N]

As individuals, we struggle to be of relevance and make something meaningful of this world and our life. Inevitably though, shiny ideals fade and disillusionment sets. Half-commitment
and sparse attention don't help any, in the quest. By the time there is a semblance of an equilibrium, we are no longer who we thought we were. You capture the human tragedy so well.

while life slipped through
like a fleeing orphan

....beautiful line, Jacob.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, DIVYA,
j.

[Sami Khalil]

This was a great contemplative poem full of realizations and wisdom. I agree with all . I guess we all search for our real identity, purpose, dreams, some fame, some fortune. The decks are stacked against us all the time.
You write ✍ marvelously

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your very kind words, Sami,
j.

[Sami Khalil]

Yes siiiirrrrr. You are welcome 😊.

[Earthrise]

a feeling i relate to too well, i'm afraid. honestly, i'm still trying to train myself to prefer the present moment. this one is stirring, and i think it's a little longer than your typical work, isn't it? it certainly feels that way. i get drawn in and spend an extra moment in your words. thank you for this piece, J

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Earthrise....oh yes, some are a bit longer than others.
j.

[Miss Sharon]

(i am still looking for a home and maybe in some years i will find it, when i no longer have any idea who i was.) I can relate to this feeling Jacob. Well written as per your forte my friend. ~Sharon

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I appreciate you, Sharon.
thanks for read and kind comment,
j.

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Jacob… as I sit at my Spinning Wheel to create some “Yarns” or spin some tales… I am mesmerized by your poetry… tenderly, Pat

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I appreciate you , Pat.
And my sister does yarn with the spinning wheel...and teaches classes in it.
I bet you are really wonderful at it.

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Jacob… you have encouraged me to write in Metaphors.. perhaps that could be Spinning a Yarn or telling a story with great imagination. Lovely that your Sister teaches the Art of Spinning. My forte would be to refresh my Memory of studying Piano. I was fortunate to purchase an upright Black Ebony 🎹 Piano that was used in a Church. gently, Pat .. Thanks for an endearing Response.