ON
THE EDGE
From
earliest memory
the
edge was his place
He
could never among
the
Peeps live in grace
happily
Outside...looking
in..
with
ne'er wish to be
anywhere
else than
where
he could see
smiles
behind
him, harbors of safety.
Countless
Peeps
meeting
together to allay
discomfort
of isolation...
desolation
Hanging
on the edge, he said--
this
where I want to stay,
the
chill...
never
to leave, to go away,
this
thrill.
Excitement!
His game name.
Afraid
to miss something.
Busy
leading the late crowd
long
into night's black hole.
So
tired!
Three
or four hours' sleep
was
enough for this Peep
Awake
in predawn to flip
that
Eastern light-switch..click!
Didn't
miss a thing—up all night,
so,
so very tired.
Pledge
to live and tomorrow
move
away from that ledge,
away
from the edge of
sorrowful
happenings
where
he felt so safe.
Time--
minutes
'borrowed',
stolen
from hours
which
should have,
would
have
been
'theirs'
been
hers.
He--fearful
of missing something,
ended
to miss everything,
even
that so dear.
Now
so clear
No
more bungee.
No,
not for me....
steveroni
Posted for D'VERSE
OLN (Open Link Night) #32
3 PM est TUESDAYS
*Where's Yours!*
He--fearful of missing something,
ReplyDeleteended to miss everything...that encapsulates it all for me...it is all in what we obsess upon...excitement, some...attention others...but it is all a trade off...
Oh yes! This was wonderful Steve!
ReplyDeleteThose last two lines, wowzers.
ReplyDeleteThat's great writing right there.
steve, we have all been there, perhaps...I know I have...and as Brian said: it's a trade-off.
ReplyDeleteThis poem touched me at a very hidden core.
Lady Nyo
I feel like falling in these words of yours... cannot inhale!
ReplyDeletehaha..i think you're talking about my son...but you're talking about yourself...your past...but hey..somehow i think you're still an edge walker..in a very good sense though..
ReplyDeleteWow! I love this. This really resonates with me. Being in the thick of things, not wanting to miss out. I wanted to believe it was still such a happy place, but it turned on me.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this!
A familiar song, said very well!
ReplyDeletehttp://charleslmashburn.wordpress.com/2012/02/21/i-go/
I vaguely remember the feeling, the urge for excitement to feel alive. A hundred years ago or so.
ReplyDeleteNow safe play is a vital part of my peace.
Life is too fragile and oh, so costly.
And for all those who hail adventure, who fear the life not lived well you have written the antidote for a life lived on the edge. Living well should be one in balance as Jefferson said. I like this. Keep off the edge of cliffs and "keep walking past those open windows". *John Irving in HOTEL NEW HAMPSHIRE
ReplyDeleteStill reeling from the image! Imagine! fantastic share for OpenLinkNight!
ReplyDeleteI like that living on the edge ...These lines though speak to me:
ReplyDeleteHe--fearful of missing something,
ended to miss everything,
even that so dear.
I think though we just need to balance our life, a bit of adventure, a bit of love for everyone ~
I like the living on the edge...but also living the life...it's all about making the choices that give us balance. I hope you have yours. Peace to you, friend!
ReplyDelete"Why live on the edge when you can jump off".
ReplyDeletePeace.
BRIAN!
ReplyDeleteYep...he has been trading for a long time! But it has been fun. And he is grateful to God for the experiences...
WAIT. WHAT?
Cat, my friend. Thank you for being. Here.--grin! Hope you are GooooD! Peace!
LAYDY NYO!
OK. Lady...but I know some Peeps who have not 'been there'. And daily they look like something is missing in their lives. Maybe we didn't miss as much as I think? I always did practice “fair trade”. I like when something written 'touches' one of us. It is then a higher form of communication, of understanding.
PEACE!
DULCE!
Here we go—I don't understand “falling in words”. President Clinton “did not inhale” (so he said, under oath!) Or...are you talking about smoking.
A hint, from one who “been there.” We stop smoking hundreds, nay, thousands of times. We QUIT but once!. And it ain't easy, Babe. (Do it with a friend—I did.)
PEACE!
CLAUDIA!
You GOT it, Babe. Still love that tightrope walking. Vertigo, go away! (I have a feeling there's and edge where Claudia hovers now and then...maybe ?)--grin!
ELIZABETH!
Yes, I believe that also. Life itself can turn on me. That's why we learn to “deal with life on life's terms”. And no, I only can do that is short spurts!
PEACE, Elizabeth!
MARBLES IN MY POCKET!
Yup, Charles...I guess most of us deal with the same life with few indistinct variations. So long as we come out breathing, able yet to live and love.....Thanks for dropping by.
FELISOL!
ReplyDeleteYou sneak advice in with almost a secrecy.
Are you Gemini? --grin! Also I enjoy PEACE! As you might know. But if too much, I get lazy, need some emotional surge, vitality, breaking down a barrier, running out of bounds (no, I am NOT a runner—grin!) As I approach the final of my “hundred years” the beginning of it does not seem so far away!
I LOVE for you to be here and comment your truth!
PEACE!
BEACHANNY!
Your wisdom is well taken, girl. Actually, you're passing along others wisdom, which is how we do it, right? I like that “keep walking past the open windows”!!! At my age, I do walk past, but slowly...slowly—grin!
PEACE, yesssss!
NATASHA HEAD!
Thank you so much, Natasha. You are gracious to come here and comment. Have a great week!
HEAVEN!
OH! How right you are. BIG word: balance! We were not made to travel on one track to same place day in and day out. Our world is not yet a prison for many Peeps!
I like 'love'...and PEACE!
AYALA!
At this time in my life balance rules...well, sometimes! But the insanity may never be completely deleted. To tell you the truth, for me, life is good, and has been overall for many years. Before that is my 'drunk-a-log', my story! Friends like you are necessary. Thank you!
RAINFIELD66!
HAHAHA! I should have expected no less advice from you, my friend! I enjoy the morning side of the mountain AND the twilight side of the hill. And try to stay in today. Remember what they told us?
“If I stand with one foot in yesterday, and other foot in tomorrow...then I'll probably piss all over today”!
Thanks for coming by, Guy!
PEACE
For some reason "outside looking in" captures my attention. I get it.
ReplyDeletemeeting together to allay
ReplyDeletediscomfort of isolation...
desolation
oh wow. The tragedy of humanity. How to walk the edge of safety. And that edge looks different for all of us I think. This is a different edge from the one I know, but it has the same core and that hit home to me. Great write.
Really good, Steve. I know there was a lot of soul searching behind this.
ReplyDeleteLAURIE KOLP!
ReplyDeleteThank you. Yes, you "get it"--grin! Ya know, when I try to write poetry, I do not intentionally 'hide' stuff. I DO go back and delete all unnecessary words. Anyway, glad you are here.
Good week to you.
PEACE!
ZOE FRANCESCA!
Yup, I guess we do all travel roads with different curves and conditions. But, bottom line is that all roads lead where we all want to go--whether we are aware of it or not. Thanks, Zoe.
PEACE!
PATTI!'Hello, friend! I'm always glad to see you here. I'll be around to visit, just SO much going on. Anna leaves Wed noon for Tampa, until Sunday night. Then...RELAX!
PEACE!
Obviously a subject you understand...you expressed yourself beautifully. Some moments are lost forever, but can be replaced by other moments which are sweeter and dearer somehow.
ReplyDeletenow this feeling i know. the edge. chasing the tail. pretending. denying. yip, no more for me either... lotsa love, v
ReplyDeletethanks steve...i'm a ledge liver and a short sleeper...and i feel i need to back away, drop the gun and back away - sort of...this spoke to my gut. thank you for sharing...
ReplyDeletealso have a new blog, a baby one of course on typepad and want you to come and see. and comment and be my friend. a lonely leap of faith it is.
it's at http://moodyhues.typepad.com/moodyhues/ and i am going by my middle name of addie. PLEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZ! ♥
This is awesome ,Steve Jan
ReplyDeleteYou should publish your poems in a form of book.
I think life is worth living the edge - enjoy my friend
ReplyDeleteIZDIHER!
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by, and your comment. No, No, No Publish. I know very little about anything--but I DO know what is worthy of 'publish'. And my offerings are NOT! So there! --grin!
But thank you anyway, my Pak-friend!
Take care
PEACE!
LESLIE!
YOU! Good writer, philosopher, etc...glad to see you. Yup, "The Edge" is great...but ya gotta watch your STEP--grin!
Refreshing journey, Steve. I'm giddy from the picture, but even more from the poem! Loved it!
ReplyDeleteHELENA!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Well, your comment got me over to your blog(s), I commented all over the place while there. Nice to 'meet' you............again!
Steve E
The last three stanzas blew me away Steve!! What a great piece of work. But I must say that image....if it were that 'kind of edge' I'm not sure I'd want to experience anything like that in real time. LOL
ReplyDeleteExcellent prose. Thanks for visiting.
I like it on the edge. I'd much rather observe than be a part of the crowd. It's safer here. Except my edge is not a ledge. More like a corner, sheltered by walls. There's a tinge of sadness to your words. Maybe not so much regret as guilty pleasure.
ReplyDeleteThat photo is frightening! Some people! Is it bravery or stupidity?
Don't push me 'cuz I'm close to...
the EDGE.
Take it easy, Mr. Roni.
At your request. I remove word verif, I can because I am that good, no matter it is new blogger interface. I will crack code. See for yourself.
ReplyDeleteOh by the way, that pencil wielding lady above me is quite the people observer on the edge although she looks lovely anywhere, edge, center, inside, outside. She makes everything delightful, I'd go and hang around with her anywhere she wants.
ReplyDeleteAnd by the way, if I start receiving spam because I took out the word verification, I will close the comment section entirely.
ReplyDeleteHOOTIN ANNI!
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHA! Thanks Anni...I can see you have excellent
taste in literature—grin!
Also you would not hget me up on 'that' ledge, b ike or no bike!
BELLA!
Hello, “Pencil-Wielding Lady!!” Ya know? You may have 'nailed it down', the underlying theme in this post-em. I DO believe in the end we will see (if we wish to, at that point!) how everything and all did fit into a Plan—a plan of love. For I don't care how anyone might describe it all, when it is the end, when that desolation makes itself known, and the material Universe is in utter chaos, there will be one character, one characteristic, left standing—or floating—and that is Perfect Love (with nary an edge, nor corner walls!)
Sorry to be so windy.
PEACE, Dear Lady!
CES!
OMHG! If you are spammed and pull the 'comment' plug, Peeps from the global four corners will be blaming ME. Somehow, I blocked--on Blogger--everything which is signed “Anonymous”.
Did not have to break any code (whatever THAT means—grin!)
BTW, I admire and respect that Lady wielding the pencil—more than you'd know. She is an angel.
I like living in the middle of the road, although to some it seems that I like thrills. But to me what I do feels like it fits and is not about thrill seeking but just inquisitive activity.
ReplyDelete