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Open Poetry #47
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Hope
| Open Poetry #47 |
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Hope |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa 
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HOPE Sunday, 23 August 1981 I am a person, sitting at a study-window, watching, Waiting For a glimpse of a lone figure on a bay horse Amidst grey-green trees On a gloomy August afternoon. You don’t know I’m Waiting. I am a woman watching, Waiting For your handsome, rugged face and your smiling eyes, And your strong, hands that are so quiet on Malibu’s neck, And your crooked back that you hold so straight, And your deep soft voice, And all these, to hold me. Will you ever notice me Waiting? I have a soul soaring, hovering, Waiting In the strident call of your hadedahs To touch softly the courage, gentleness and strength Of your beautiful soul - Let me, And notice me Waiting. I am a being, Waiting To offer you my soul, body, mind and spirit In the hopes that you want them And that they will be enough. Please Notice me Waiting. Owl |
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| © Copyright 2011 Diana van den Berg - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Lori Grosser Rhoden Member Patricius
since 2009-10-10
Posts 10202Fair to middlin' of nowhere |
beautiful love poem. Waiting and hoping...the agony of anticipation, but with you Owl everything feels serene. Lori |
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JerryPat2 Member Laureate
since 2011-02-06
Posts 16975South Louisiana |
Ah, maybe you need to wave a white flag of surrender when he trots by on that bay. Catch his eye. Just kidding around. I liked this exercise in forlorn. ~ Some people are like a Slinky -- not really good for anything -- but you still can't help but smile when you shove them down the stairs. ~ |
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bel1e Senior Member
since 2006-07-24
Posts 1631 |
there is so much vulnerability in hope....at least...it has always seemed that way to me...this pens it so lovely, Owl~ |
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secondhanddreampoet Member Ascendant
since 2006-11-07
Posts 6394a 'Universalist' ! |
Pelagius once wrote: "There is no 'death' worse than the loss of all 'hope'!" ... For those of us who have ended up (via those 'slings and arrows of outrageous fortune') complete 'life and love' failures ... he seems indeed to have had a valid point! however, this is a fine 'write' (as usual) from this talented poet! |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Thank you, Lori. I really love that you believe that everything with me feels serene. It often isn’t, but there are times that it is, mainly because I have just realised that I have made it so, or tried to – I realise that now that you say so. Thanks, Jerry. Giggles at the white flag – but seriously I didn’t need it, way back then, with him – the waiting was actually mutual, and it worked – and for quite a long while. Belle, you are so right – and “vulnerable” has never sat well with me – but I allow it, so much more the older I get, and realise how much courage (and sometimes rashness) it takes and admire that courage in others who allow it too. Thank you, Bruce, for your very kind words. They are much appreciated. However, I need to say that nobody is a failure in life or love, because no person exists who hasn’t had a happy moment in love, and no person exists who hasn’t helped somebody else at least once. Those who believe that they are failures need only, in Frank Sinatra’s way, pick themselves up, dust themselves off and start all over again. However, I admit wholeheartedly, that it takes the great courage and/or rashness to which I referred above, in making oneself vulnerable and in seeing the glass as half full and celebrating and savouring the water, with eyes closed in pleasure as one imagines, for example, the cool mountain rills from where it possibly originated. It is a matter of choice. One can choose to be positive and delight in the many blessings one has, and handle the pain (albeit slowly and in all its stages) and learn from it to achieve a richer and more meaningful life – or one can choose to concentrate on the pain and flounder and give up. The former brings rich rewards. The latter is self-destructive. It is up to the individual to choose. My personal choice is the former – I have banged my head in so doing on many occasions, but, if given the opportunities again, I would do probably all of it again, as it has been worth it - it has made me who I am - and I am extremely aware of how blessed I am, despite what, in my opinion, has been a very hard life in various aspects which for me are of prime importance. I do not believe in hiding behind one’s circumstances, but in rising above them. My view too is that every single one of us has a very tough life, but in such different ways, that we don’t recognise this fact. Trying to understand other people’s views and problems, is crucial to getting others to try to understand our own views and problems. Also putting one’s heart and soul into something beneficial to the whole community in which one lives – or to part of it - helps us to go outside of our own problems and, to an extent, leave them behind, and brings a warmth and satisfaction of being needed and feeling useful, and I believe that it is required of all of us to do so. Owl |
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Dark Stranger Member Patricius
since 2001-03-19
Posts 13631West Coast |
ms Owl..can see the jaunty of you stirring quietly while you wait..enjoyed this slice of you |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Smiles, Dark Stranger. So it was you I saw walking your dog past my house, all those years ago . . . Owl |
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steavenr Member Elite
since 2003-11-17
Posts 4058 |
I loved this (not just because it is good & it is good) because it made me re-examine that belief as to just what hope is (I always teach that hope is the certain expectation of that which shall be)...and this added that very real dimension of waiting...a favorite passage of mine (admittedly a little out of context) describes how you've done on this one..."thou excellest them all.  |
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ken206573 Member
since 2008-10-14
Posts 487 |
What sweet words and loving devotion you have for this person. |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Steaven, I am speechless (well, almost) and so honoured by what you said. I am also so very grateful and touched that I have helped you re-examine a belief of any kind at all. Thank you for your trust in me. Thank you, Ken for your kind words – just gently mentioning that this was written in 1981 – which makes it 30 years ago – though, I don’t deny he was a very special man in my life. Owl |
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Marchmadness Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271So. El Monte, California |
What a beautiful, touching poem, Dear lady in waiting. Ida |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Smiles at and gratitude for your comment about the poem. Giggles/smiles at and gratitude for the "lady in waiting" and more smiles at and gratitude for the "dear". You are always very kind, Ida. Thank you. Owl |
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