Innocence Lost (from Boyhood Tales)

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jwesley
Member Rara Avis

since 2000-04-30

Posts 7563
Spring, Texas

0 posted 2001-01-12 06:49 PM

Innocence Lost

Innocence,
lost in numerous ways,
lost when least expected,
maybe gone in a flash,
or spread over time
is still a dying of days,
of ways and things that brought you
to a point in space;
a loss of life,
existance as you knew it,
a world of change.

Innocence,
dying for me,
though I didn't know it,
months before it was gone,
and dead even longer,
before I'd known it had died.

Time,in it's passionless
ticking away of your heartbeats,
healing in its methodical
clocking away of your life,
rears its ugly head at times
to show you what's come and gone,
what you've done or not,
though it's wisdom of your years.

Innocence - lost,
it's passing suddenly shown
by one of these spikes
on the tracing of your life.

Innocence died
the day I stepped off the Big Gray Dog
in New Orleans, years ago,
home on leave from boot camp
and saw nothing
was the same.

w. james beard, jr.
© January 2001

[This message has been edited by jwesley (edited 01-12-2001).]

SEA

Moderator

Member Seraphic

since 2000-01-18

Posts 22676
with you

1 posted 2001-01-12 06:56 PM

JWesley~ I understand this very well.....I know what it's like to go "home" and find nothing is as it should be.......fantastic poem!

-SEA

Marq
Member

since 1999-10-18

Posts 222

2 posted 2001-01-12 06:59 PM

I like the last stanza!

Beckalini
Member

since 2001-01-02

Posts 151
Yorkshire, England

3 posted 2001-01-12 07:02 PM

This is so real...and so touching! Wonderfully written jwesley. Hugs to you and yours. ~Becky~

Denise

Moderator

Member Seraphic

since 1999-08-22

Posts 22648

4 posted 2001-01-12 09:59 PM

Yep, those spikes can sure hurt. Great expression, James, I sure know what you mean.

Denise

jwesley
Member Rara Avis

since 2000-04-30

Posts 7563
Spring, Texas

5 posted 2001-01-13 03:19 PM

SEA and dsnyder - yep, it's a wake up call isn't it --- suddenly you see with different eyes that tear for what you lost, innocence;
welcome to life101 - the real world.

Thank you, Marq, my friend.

Beckalini - and hugs in return...appreciate you kind words.

jwesley

Kit McCallum

Administrator

Member Laureate

since 2000-04-30

Posts 14774
Ontario, Canada

6 posted 2001-01-13 03:41 PM

You've touched a chord for me too James ... I know the feeling well, and you've described it brilliantly, well done!

Best wishes,
/Kit

Martie

Moderator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-09-21

Posts 28049
California

7 posted 2001-01-13 04:05 PM

James--You have expressed so well a feeling that I have had...and the last line pierced my heart.

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