Life Without Borders

The walls appeared suddenly,
their bricks made of words,
their mortar of silence.

The isolation imposed a misted hush
that enveloped her completely.
She wore no orange or stripes,

she was invisible even to herself.
Each time she closed her eyes
she could smell the new masonry

that stood without doors
but also without a ceiling.
Perhaps it was not a prison,

instead it was a way station
on a journey still to be written
in the air where words floated

beyond her grasp and sometimes
beyond her comprehension.
She sat for a millennia pondering

what she had done to bring her to this place.
She lived on memories of meaning and
on meaningless thoughts that would hijack

emotions, logic, purpose, and stamina.
It wasn't until she was able to clip
these ruminations from her mind

that the haze of oppression lifted
so she might grow wings and fly
from this solidly constructed bunker,

built apart from her consciousness,
even though it had been engineered
by her own regret and self-loathing.

She had wasted too much time
reading the chapters already penned.
It was time to push past the blocks

and create a future where
failure was not a life sentence
it was merely a lesson,

but only if she allowed it to be,
because mistakes are the nutrients
in the soil from which we all grow.

Reviews

[Michael Stevens]

An excellent poem of the prison we construct in our own minds.

[Pryde Foltz]

but only if she allowed it to be,
because mistakes are the nutrients
in the soil from which we all grow.

Mistakes are a point of perspective. Loved this inspiration and well-crafted piece, Icyblue:)

[Bacchus]

So glad I clicked on you and this piece...
love finding a new writer on here.

mistakes as nutrients- they do stink like fertilizer sometimes- but how great and useful
i love -the smell of new masonry
feels like this prison of a place is changing into a launch point
i really like how this piece challenges an existing place and transforms it into
something new and useful...

to get unstuck from the built up places we have created and use them,
mix them into our soil- Bacchus

[icelandicblue]

Thank you so much. If we desire we can learn from mistakes, be stronger and perhaps even soar beyond the heartache and dysfunction. Thanks again.

[emmajoy]

Your words, your ability to word the words, reaches out.. in sharing you somehow light your own way as well as this reader.

We each suffer our own historic pain, learning how to move forward.. if we can and - surely know we must, should, else - stay locked away, wasting time, life, chances.. hope. ' ... meaningless thoughts that would hijack.. emotions, logic, purpose, and stamina... It wasn't until she was able to clip .. these ruminations from her mind .. that the haze of oppression lifted.. '

Such finely put words, sad yet powerful, hopeful but just a little wary...Watch for the spoon that stirs you to move.. .

[icelandicblue]

Thank you emmajoy. You always bring light to my words. I look forward to your comment. They are infinitely profound.

[Sheila Kline]

A wise collection of thoughts that encourage one to move past periods of not participating, (such as writing) and learn from the past so that freedom may be found, enriched by that learned while inactive, of taking a look back at those moments when the "could haves", have been "could nots". We must gain courage from that which has held us back and move on!
Excellent!
It is good to see you writing!

[icelandicblue]

Hi Sheila, how nice to see you. Living in the past, even if it's yesterday can be crippling. Moving ahead despite it all makes us who we are. Thanks so much for your comments.

[Lyn Anderson]

For me I feel that this is a prison of the speaker's own making -- not sure how to get out -- the quicksand of anxiety and depression surrounding the speaker. Very vivid, and powerful, reaching out, an acknowledgment that something good can grow from the pain and mistakes.

[icelandicblue]

Thanks KL, mistakes have their purpose I think. How we react to them can make or break us. Thank you again for your insights.

[Einstein Noodle]

certainly the protagonist has had an epiphany ... we do enshroud ourselves quite nicely ... wrapped and packed ... your mortar cell without ceiling is vivid and i smell the fresh mortar ...immediately wanted to sprout the needed wings to fly out into the blue .. alas i was not given any :( .. but the mustard seed of faith and hope is all we need and your closing two verses gives that to me ..and i begin that painful step into a brighter light than i have allowed before ...no more hiding in the cave right!?? ;) i think this is heartfelt and honest .. something that comes from ones own walk ..great to see you post my friend! you made my day .. prayers for you and yours :)
E.

[icelandicblue]

Aw thanks so much Einstein. The light may hurt my eyes but I still venture into it. I appreciate your comments and good wishes.

[Einstein Noodle]

yes ...and that is the most important step isn't it?! ... into the Light ;)