Impervious Ocean
Sunday, 22 October, 2006Great ocean,
I am humbled
by your vastness.
There were times that
I cupped some of you in my hands
and I thought
I had all of you
with me.
My pride was overwhelming.
Now I see the absurdity.
Great ocean,
I look at all those who own parts of you
and I wonder
How do they gather all that water?
How do they obtain so much?
Great ocean,
How do I become them?
When I try,
I dip my cupped hands in you
and I laugh in ecstasy
when I look at you in my hands.
Overwhelmingly proud again.
But I watch in horror
as you seep through
the gaps
between my fingers.
Humbled again.
Who am I to think that I’ve owned you?
So there I go again
Pacing the beach
With traces of you on my palms.
That is all I’ve ever had.
Traces.
I wonder,
When can I own more of you,
much more of you,
in this amount of time?
How?
I like this. Very good use of symbolism. There is a progression, learning from the mistake of thinking you can own the ocean, and then coming full circle, to wanting to own as much as you can.
It reminds me of the saying that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.
Oh, hell. The poem says it better than I did. That’s why it’s such a good poem.
Thanks.
favourite.