The Lonely

The Lonely

A Poem by Gilad Levanon
"

Often your defenses against pain are what end up bringing you pain.

"
I go to the lonely and ask him
"What do you fear?"
"Come close and I'll whisper in your ear..."
I shuffle my feet and draw near
"I fear that which causes me pain."
"What kind of pain?"
"The kind that comes from humiliation."
"Why?" my brow creased in concentration
"Because when I am humiliated I hate myself"
I lean back in confusion
"Why?"
"Because on the inside, I cry"
"Why?"
"Because when I am humiliated, others dislike me
and then I have no friends and I become lonely"
"But are you not lonely now?"
Now it's his turn to crease his brow
"Yes, I must confess"
"Why?"
"Because I shut myself away for protection"
"Protection from what?" is my question
"Protection from humiliation"

© 2012 Gilad Levanon


My Review

Would you like to review this Poem?
Login | Register




Featured Review

When fear of negative emotions guides actions it leads right back to more negative emotions. This shows just how much happiness is brought about through maintaining a state of mind rather than a set of circumstances in the world (money, lack of humiliation etc.). When we fear for our own state of mind, we withdrawal from the world and our own existence and turn this fear into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Nice write!

Posted 12 Years Ago


3 of 3 people found this review constructive.




Reviews

Loneliness can be a long hard hole to climb from, but it's well worth it if you can make it out. Thanks for sharing...

~Mr.e

Posted 6 Years Ago


i can vary well relate to this poem. i get bullied/humiliated every day in school only because im deaf and wear hearing aids. keep up the good work. this poem shows suspicion. my fave lines are: "Because I shut myself away for protection"
"Protection from what?" is my question
"Protection from humiliation

Posted 6 Years Ago


i fear pain that comes from humiliation too

Posted 7 Years Ago


Extremely accurate, Gilad. Nice dialouge.

Posted 8 Years Ago


Beautifully written. I like how it the end ties in neatly with the beginning. :)

Posted 8 Years Ago


stunning poem, i quiet enjoyed it

Posted 8 Years Ago


Honestly, related to this on such a profound level.. Great job, dude!

Posted 8 Years Ago


i enjoyed this poem. thank you

Posted 9 Years Ago


An excellent circular poem that tells some uncomfortable truths. Good job.

Posted 10 Years Ago


Very well done. This poem embodies the nature of poetry, which is the art of saying the unsayable. In contrast to your epigram, ("Often your defenses against pain are what end up bringing you pain,") which is undeniably true, flat and uninteresting, the poem does not explain, describe or state anything. It shares fear. The reader is afraid while he is in the poem, and that is good poetry.

Posted 10 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.


First Page first
Previous Page prev
1
Share This
Email
Facebook
Twitter
Request Read Request
Add to Library My Library
Subscribe Subscribe


Stats

35647 Views
16 Reviews
Rating
Shelved in 2 Libraries
Added on February 14, 2012
Last Updated on November 25, 2012

Author

Gilad Levanon
Gilad Levanon

South Africa



About
I'm interested in finding the ultimate question. I know the answer's 42 but "What is six times seven?" doesn't satisfy me. more..

Writing

Related Writing

People who liked this story also liked..