People Who Look Like People You Know

To coincidence...? Doubt it.

The first glance, as simple as air.

No reason to doubt or to care.

 

The second slams against your chest.

A fault you falter to confess.

 

Happiness wound its way through our minds.

Twisting and turning like the tongue of an adder.

The seeds of our sorrow sown in the night.

We come to disbelieve that meaning should matter.

 

The first glance, it lingers still.

You wonder why you feel so ill.

 

The second strips your body bare.

And leaves your sickly soul impaired.

 

We ache to move, we struggle to breathe.

Envious of strangers whom we vow to disown.

Unflinching in our hesitancy.

Chasing people who look like people we know.

 

The last glance, so much reason to care.

There is nothing, no nothing, as simple as air.

Author's Note

Not to give away the "mystique" of this piece, but the basis for it is pretty simple: ever gone walking through the mall or some public place and thought you recognized someone, then half a second later you realize you were wrong? That's pretty much the springboard for this poem. Like I said, I find ordinary things quite extraordinary.

Reviews

[paparapapa]

Haha. I loved how you described that awkward moment although my experiences are usually humiliating like saying hi and smiling at these people while yours is I think meaningful from how you described it. Great word play... again. :)) keep on writing. :P

[Bats In The Belfry]

Humans are funny creatures. You captured our awkwardness quite eloquently! Thanks for the giggle.

[Mary C]

delightful

[Alexander Emberson]

Your first line pretty much encompasses how i feel about everyone i know while at home. Your rhyme scheme is interesting, but i enjoyed the formatting. You did a very good job on this one. Keep it up!

[ChaoticSoul]

Your imagery is deliciously fantastic. "Envious of strangers whom we vow to disown." That is a wonderful line. Your basis may have been what you say in your simple description, but oh does this go into so much more than just that. It can be related to everyday life where nothing special occurs, or it can be related to the moment where you glance at someone from across the room and have that strange intuition-like urge to speak to them. It also reminded me of a short story I read once where the main character can't get the face of his former girlfriend out of his mind and he constantly dates girls that look strikingly similar to her (relating to that "People Who Look Like People You Know" title of yours) *End rant* Wonderful writing!

[Lily Mae]

A moment of deja vu... it happens to me alot.. I always wonder what it was about them that felt so familiar..xo
Excellent way to express those thoughts..