Duality

who else would You be?

Duality

Who else, gentle reader, would You and I be,
If we but had two lives given for living-
What forgotten vignettes lurk within, hidden?
What dusty-spined, unread equisite tome,
what misspent unpenned masterpiece identity?

What was the given reason stated, thus
for this turning left asunder way,
for the circuitous path abandoned way-
was it word or deed, or resigned sighing settlement of need,
Life simply obstructing our early remembrance of Us?

Do the thoughts bring a wistful smile to your lips
when you ponder alter-egos, “if-thens”
“what nows” and “How comes”? are there still “maybe nows”?
possibilities indefinitely delayed, discarded, devoured, divorced,
lost amid the hubbub of disapproving voices, and the sailing of many ships?

Do you cry bitter tears, does your yearbook photo make you weep?
or have you awakened, any given bold sunrise day, to exclaim,
“this gangly misfit child today lives out his dream!”
Does the road rise before you, traveler, and do you walk
with arms open in embrace? or do you face your days, asleep?

Who else, my Brother, would You and I be,
If we but had two lives to explore and joy to proclaim-
As somewhere shifting sands are furtively drifting by
a slightly older, sadder, wiser vision of me;
 and I cannot but question, if two lives were now permitted, I and thee…

…perhaps one of those I deeply loved, maybe You,
might once have given one to me?





 

Reviews

[Patient Poet (Yos)]

Very complicated, I could feel the depth of that writting, but not always could follow up with your meaning, I love it tho, I will re read it few times , just to get the feelings you expressed . I love when you ask the questions , will we want to have other life if we could , I am not sure at all about that . love specially:

Do you cry bitter tears, does your yearbook photo make you weep?
or have you awakened, any given bold sunrise day, to exclaim,
"this gangly misfit child today lives out his dream!"
Does the road rise before you, traveler, and do you walk
with arms open in embrace? or do you face your days, asleep?

[Through the Gateway]

Such eloquent words of longing. Wondering if things had been different...and could they still be. It is always painful to look in our past and see where paths may have crossed, mistakes may have been made and desires were set aside for one reason or another.

I wonder, though, if such things were not necessary, and if in fact hope does lie in wait, looking for the day that our dual natures blend into one and all of our past "failures" become clear as merely forge-fires for something better, possibly making what we yearn for that much sweeter in the end.

I like to think so.

Wonderfully written, Marie.

[Mark]

It is altogether human to wish for what might have been,but could not be--possibly the MOST primal of human urges, in fact. Your poem asks whether, had circumstances been different, had timing been otherwise, could different results have been had. The answer is certainly, but He who creates Timing, who causes Circumstances, meant for that gangly girl to become just whom she is, and thankful are we who have been blessed to know her that He did, and that she has not looked back!

[raining]

I agree with Michael, the self reflective aspect and the stream-like quality opens self.

the content... is wonderful to behold. It might ask of the reader that the split, the anima animus split is being examined to the microcosmic level, relationship to the biological level almost.

Who is Marie?

[Michael X]

You are talented, I say that because your word weaving skills create a poet prowless that
the reader can feel in almost every word. this stirkes me as a self reflection asunder
and yet the total image has a clould of hope hovering overhead. a pleasure to read