Reflection

in poetry •  6 years ago  (edited)

Stabs of melancholy
leave us aching
in the pits
of our stomachs,
ravenous
for connection.

We, so hastily,
spackle and paint over
all the ways
in which the world
has scarred us…

and do our best to
craft some simple narrative,
finely chiseled
and chock full of
polished illusions.

What if
the reflection
we try so hard
to stratify,
to bury within
the deep recesses
of ourselves,
is really our
greatest asset?

That which
we curse
and work
so tirelessly
to polish away
might just be our
soul's fingerprint...
what endears us
to this troubled world.

Your greatest goal
is to find who
it is you really are,
your greatest legacy
is left by displaying
that truth, unabashedly,
for all to see.

~Eric Vance Walton~

(Gif sourced from Giphy.com)


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@ericvancewalton That's true finding who we truly and not hiding it.
Hope you are having a wonderful weekend.

Eric, this is really magnificent, wow.
You know how sometimes it feels like something is so subtly nuanced to the specific way you feel it's as if it were created for you? This feels that way to me. it says so very much about the human condition and as always, does it so gracefully. You really have mastered your craft so that your creative magic shines right through it! 5 stars

Thank you for the very kind words! It's weird how these bubble up from the subconsciously spontaneously now after all these years. The lines seem to come from somewhere else and I never really know what it will be about until it's done.

I hope you're surviving the cold okay. Internet and cell service are spotty in the islands. I'm hoping to get a post written today with some pictures but I'm not sure if I'll be able to or not.

You picked the most perfect time for a warm vacation!! Enjoy it, posts can happen when you get home and are huddled inside protected from subzero temps :-))

I have to admit, it was pretty sweet knowing we were going to be tropical weather when it was -57 here in Minnesota. The only downside to vacationing that early in the year is dealing with another 3-4 months of bad weather. We usually leave in March or April and when we get back we only have a month or two. I was tempted to do more posts while we were there but I'm glad I didn't, it was truly a vacation.

Excellent!! And maybe a trip to NYC or some other small adventure will help break up the remaining months of winter. It's a drab time of year these days but also a good time to get shit done :-))

I would love to visit the city again soon! There’s never a bad time for that. : )

agreed :-)
I've been going in every week or 2 and it's great to get that infusion of energy

Thank you!

Thanks for taking the time to read it!

might just be our
soul's fingerprint...
what endears us
to this troubled world.

This verse speaks to me particularly. The idea that at our very core, our most outwardly beautiful characteristic may be what we grow most to hate about ourselves. Lots of people (in my experience) have come to dislike whatever trait they are most often complimented on.

Sometimes, these traits are physical, and it's hard for us to identify, at a soul consciousness, with our physical traits because we usually have nothing to do with them! That
"ravenous connection" could be so simply attained if, as you wrote, we "unabashedly display
that truth".

EXCELLENT POEM, thank you for sharing. @ericvancewalton

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thank you @painting.peonies!

Hmm interesting point of view (and love the writing, as always...sad and beautiful at the same time). I wonder...I don't know if it's our best asset, maybe, but it definitely helps build that (the best side of ourselves). Quite simply, we wouldn't be who we are, or as endeared to the world, if you will, without that side.

Your greatest goal
is to find who
it is you really are,

Yes <3 although many fight for that all their lives and still don't find it.

Thanks @honeydue. I feel like the world tries to make us all fit within a certain accepted bandwidth and, so many people buy into it. As a result people stifle the best and most unique parts of themselves. I saw this in the corporate culture here in America. Upper management all looked like they were cast from the same mold and it didn't stop with physical appearances, they even repeated the same phrases.

What if
the reflection
we try so hard
to stratify,
to bury within
the deep recesses
of ourselves,
is really our
greatest asset?

Wait a Minutes, this could be true though, common, it could be. But you know what, it's not true. If it's true, then there is no need to change. You just accept your behaviour as it is.

I'm not necessarily talking about true flaws but perceived ones...parts of an individual that they think are negative because of "societal norms" being showered on them by the media and popular culture in general.

A small example, here in the US, the younger generations are learning to speak without their regional accents because they're afraid of certain stereotypes. It used to be you could tell someone who was from the south by their "Southern drawl", but now these accents are disappearing. Yet, this trait is endearing for some, there are people who love the sound of it.

Thank you for sharing this. I feel like many of us go through similar things at the same time. This really resonated with me

I'm glad it resonated, @amethystmidnight. What a cool username!

Very true lines " Your greatest goal is to find who it is you really are"
Good poem written by you .

Thank you my friend.

@ericvancewalton, Brother, for sure we will earn our true asset of lifetime when we can truly understand ourselves and when it will happen from that point of time our true essence can inspire people around us for sure. Stay blessed. 🙂

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and do our best to
craft some simple narrative,
finely chiseled,
chock full of
polished illusions.

Wow look at the imagery of touch there so amazing, it seemed like you used chiseled there in comparison with human attributes and it's a really brilliant verse there, wonderfully written, I love this Eric

Thank you so much, @josediccus!

Of course it was my pleasure.

Ending part of the poem is close to the truth .
Beautiful poem .

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks!

Beautiful poem on reflection . I'm always likes your writing skills .

I appreciate it!

Another fabulous poem nice to enjoy the day with this one :)

Thanks, @blazing!