Lifeline and Escape

Many reasons drive people to suicide. It is unfortunate. Statistics indicate that 130 people die that way every day in the US alone. There are many agencies that try to save lives, family, friends...

Lifeline and Escape                     by Sami Khalil

The inbound and outbound waves took turns, to and fro, as he sighed along with the wind while he knew he owed a tremendous debt to the past.

What society demanded, he failed to achieve as he was written off with neither introduction nor ceremony. In his despair, disparities abounded. His milieu was highly judgmental, possessing the countenance seed of loathing, merciless, dingy. Instead of hands up, they girdled the less-fortunate with wasted stubble.

Standing at the shore’s rims, things looked hopeful sometimes, other times dim leaping back and forth in gentle quivers. He kissed the past goodbye, but regrets were tasted a freshly baked pie. Everything fell below the bar of being a star even if he willed his assertions.

He needed solace from that sinkable lot, marching towards turbulent ends. Power, greed, expectations, perpetual miscreants, traffic jams, frazzled frames in pains, helpless gains, violent endings to the declared dead, adverse reactions…

It seemed withdrawal from society was a half-way solution, blithely escaping into no fawning adoration, split and splayed in besotted death temptation.

As he rifled sighs after sighs, from his treasured chest, his conscience rippled in randomized textures; perfect strangers in cloaked coyness.

As yowls of gunshots were heard echoing the seagulls' cawing, realization dawned on me that I was in a movie theater lost in a trance. It was a dark experience in a dark place except the waves of light falling upon the large screen.

                

Reviews

[‘Thoughts In Time..]

So sad that people set there self worth by how others see them or as society expects...and not being taught at school or guided by parents about the essentials tools needed to cope with life’s never ending demands and challenges that actually as lkr make and mould ya into who we are...if only more could see that the many trials and tribulations bring growth and somehow new hope if they can just hold in and rise above the many questions left unheard...and unanswered...wonderful write...deep and true...🌹🌹

[Sami Khalil]

Hi dear poet. I love your take and understanding of this poem and its many implications. You spoke the truth. Thank you so much. Glad to see you.

[emmajoy]

' He kissed the past goodbye, but regrets were tasted a freshly baked pie. Everything fell below the bar of being a star even if he willed his assertions.

He needed solace from that sinkable lot, marching towards turbulent ends. Power, greed, expectations, perpetual miscreants, traffic jams, frazzled frames in pains, helpless gains, violent endings to the declared dead, adverse reactions…

It seemed withdrawal from society was a half-way solution, blithely escaping into no fawning adoration, split and splayed in besotted death temptation. '

Sami, from exchoes of pie to death contemplation, you set my mind reeling.. not for the first time. I read again, and again, wondering if you were pointing a finger to those of us dubious of our own shortcomings, our lack of worth, an strangely apparent invisibility! There seems to he darts of do what we say, puppet child, you ust become left handed whatever you think right for you.. you dance to our tune no matter your cederebral rhythm... but I don't want to.. do I>

Perhaps I'm wrong but you've described the way choice has been removed, that we are anything but real, but a mxs and match of nothings filling the space on a sort of planet that's gradually losing way, anyway. Perhaps I'm lost in your harvest of words.. perhaps i need get back to bread making instead of inhaling life! You write with immense power, near scares med!!!

What an extraordinary graphic, by the way.

[Sami Khalil]

Hi Emma Joy! What a joy and a pleasure to see you on my page. You are so right. This write is about families, societies and even certain individuals that require so much expectations from us and when we fall short for many reasons, they judge us harshly and we become worthless in some eyes. Sibling rivalry comes to mind in many families. The one that becomes the black sheep, will feel depressed to the point of suicide. I feel for the suicide victims but I still think it is not the solution for there are many other ways we can achieve self-worth, be the self not pleasing anyone but God, invest in our selves to improve our lot, try to find people who truly love us and accept us...I can go on and on...
Million thank yous for all. Stay safe and sharp...

[Sami Khalil]

You are right. Those societies who are highly judge mental are full of many and many ills and shortcomings themselves yet they don't see that...

[emmajoy]

Too many people and/or societies often lack self-examination before setting themselves up as being the judges of every aspect of life on earth or elsewhere. Sometimes it pays to stand in another person's shoes or - pause and count a trillion!

[Sami Khalil]

Whoa! So true and well said. Thank you for sharing...

[redzone]

it's a conundrum, a vortex of contradictions, our lives.... how do we live?? how do we see ourselves within a world community?? how does the world see us??? history judges us one way or another, no matter what our self image is... for the overwhelming majority of humanity, we are born, we live, we die and in between we do decide who and what we will be, but WITHIN the world we are born into and live in, something we did not CHOOSE... being social creatures as part of our nature, there is a "morality", (not religion) a social consciousness that we are part of something larger than ourselves and a intertwined connection to everything around us... shouldn't this be how we determine to live our lives??? evaluate what our lives mean and who we are??

our world denies this at this moment in time/history replacing it with a system of me first-ism, an individualism that is dynamic, but mostly demeaning and leads to what you are describing in your poem, someone who doesn't see their value as a human being.... suicide is self extinction and if taking the metaphor broadly, pulling back the lens, is what we are doing on a world scale.... the irony of all this is that we, the world, everything does not have to be this way....

your writing is prolific Sami, and I enjoyed every word... it's time to get out of that movie theater and start changing the world, and in the process we might even see ourselves in a much better light....

[Sami Khalil]

Hi Redzone. I'm literally blown away by your wisdom and understanding. Your in depth review is so true and well said. I'm grateful for your sharing and the tips you provide for all of us when we are in those low stages of life. Thank you so much. Happy Memorial Day.

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Sami... it does seem like a Drama when in reality...
all we have yearned for and worked for could be gone in a
Twist of Fate. Our Spirit is on Loan to us... we cannot take it
with us. At least we can throw our Marbles across the playing
field and make new Rules and print trillions of dollars.
Has the Title "Twist of Fate" been used before. It would be difficult to "infringe" on the words, since the facts would be different for each person.
Is this a Brave New World.... or is it Intellectual Property that makes us all Robots. Does anything make sense.... except the theory of Relativity by Einstein himself. gently, Pat

[Sami Khalil]

Hi Patricia Wedel. What a powerful review with pertinent questions that reflect our human condition and conditioning. In this piece, I tend to show that we should define ourselves, not letting society define us. We can't measure up to their high demands and expectations as the media and shows keep nailing in our heads. It is so easier and better to be ourselves, in failure or success, investing in ourselves physically and spiritually. Many people try to be this and that to no avail and at the end they get so depressed and want to commit suicide. As you know, people are highly judgmental even within families.
Thank you so much for sharing your powerful statements with us.

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Sami... as soon as this Virus is controlled, we will pick up the pieces and create a new attitude ...
this will be a "jump start"... we will "Boot" ourselves
to continue on and continue to discover more wonders of our World. truly, Pat

[Sami Khalil]

I totally agree. We will...

[Patricia Wedel]

dear Sami... I miss your Poetry... I hope you are well
and safe. gently, Pat

[Sami Khalil]

Will be back dear. Taking a little break. Thank you kindly. God bless.