Déjà View

It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see. - Thoreau

I peered into the window of my soul.

With the innocence of a child.

My face pressed tightly against the glass.

So that I could see the truth as clearly as possible .

Tracing my questions with a visceral finger.

My warm breath fogged the crying pane.

Tired rhetoric dripping down in a timeless game.

Nothing had changed.

It all looked the same ...

Author's Note

"It's like deja-vu, all over again." - Yogi Berra

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

Sounds like a spiritual quest which at first glance does not seem to have achieved its desired end. The accompanying picture shows a question mark hand drawn on moist glass. I take that to mean the mysteries of the soul remain hidden. Hang in there, brother, and remember the Thoreau quote. Sometimes the same thing, viewed in different times and circumstances, provides entirely different answers.

[Pete]

spot on observations J the B. thanks for sharing your clear thoughts on the matter ... :)

[barleygirl]

Love the title, drawn from the era of my youth, with C.S.N.&Y. Your poem is almost completely sensory, as you SHOW instead of tell, what you mean. The startling thing, you message can be taken in so many directions. Here's how it hit me (& it hit me hard) . . . sometimes people examine their lives up close & somewhat obsessively, putting every little insult & worry under the microscope, which fogs everything up into a miasma of misery & self-pity. Sometimes we need to spend more time LIVING life than worrying about it. And I really love that message! It's totally what I tried to do in my life. (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Pete]

you're clearly a wise person offering great insight although easier said than done. i worry about the stupidest things and end up being my own worst enemy. thanks for offering some clarity on the foggy matter my friend ... :)

[Laurierose]

Wooow. This write was such an adventure I wasn't prepared for (pleasantly so). It's as if one was looking through the reflective glass caught something. The something had been there all along, though what was different was perspective. Time may influence the tint on the lens though the image is unchanged. I enjoyed this journey, Pete. Keep on keeping on. Great read.

[Pete]

thanks Laurierose. i like your view on this. you've seen a lot and it is appreciated ... :)

[Neville]

you may, or you may not believe this.. but I was just about to post something very similar...on reflection, consequently enjoyed even before I got to the beginning... Nice one Pete :)

[Pete]

i believe you. we all wrestle with similar things. a matter of perspective. thank you Neville ... :)

[Neville]

my pleasure sir and yours was better than mine anyway :)

[Pete]

you could always throw rocks at my window and try to break out ... :)

[Neville]

gonna hide in a corner till you think I'm gone .. then I'm gonna exit by the front door with my notepad and pen...

[Pete]

that precisely why i keep a vicious dog around the house. i named him Thoreau' because if he gets hold of you, you're 'through' ... :)

[Neville]

I beg no leave nor quarter.. if got by Thoreau.. I pray that he be thorough and follow through like there aint no tomorrough :)