i am whole

artwork by rosemarie beck

the tides of life have blurred my edges

parts of me entangled with the past

other parts harnessed up

ready to gallop into the future

a bit of self-reclamation is in order

perhaps i will find clues

in the morning newspaper or on the TV news

where oh where has the jersey girl gone?

the one whose imagination was boundless

the one who embraced all possibilities

suddenly

reaching between the lines of a poem

i find relief, purpose, identity

the meticulous casting of a literary spell

has worked its magic yet again

i am whole

Reviews

[Dara]

Simply beautiful Lydia. I have been away from the ‘Cafe’ for awhile and found your poem so very up lifting. We cannot stop “the tides of life” but as long as we can read and write poetry there is still much to hope and live for. I really love this!

[Lydia Shutter]

Welcome back, Dara! Thank you so much for this lovely review. Lydi**

[Dara]

Thank you! It feels good to be back.

[Miss Sharon]

(suddenly reaching between the lines of a poem i find relief, purpose, identity)Isn't it great when that happens? Beautiful write as per your forte Lydi . ~Sharon

[Lydia Shutter]

Thank you very much, Sharon. I appreciate you. Lydi**

[Earthrise]

i love the image of looking for your past self on tv or in the paper, as if looking through the missing persons reports. i wonder how much of ourselves we can hold onto. how strong are the tides of life? can we swim against them? should we?

[Lydia Shutter]

Lots to ponder for sure. Thank you, Earthrise. Lydi*

[willweb]

Where has the Jersey girl gone. I am not sure but I can tell you with all certainty that she still has Jersey in her wherever she is. This was fun. Sometimes we do have to find ourselves, no matter how long it takes.

[Lydia Shutter]

Oh yea, I will always be a Jersey girl even though I live in Florida! Thanks so much, Will. Lydi**

[Robert Haigh]

Yes, the tides of life blur most of our edges over time, I would say. Parts entangled with the past? Absolutely! But, with luck and diligence, we never lose our identity. Poetry can lift us - either reading great works, or writing our own relatively humble efforts. Yes, I can truly identify with your eloquent and poetic words here, Lydi**! A fine poem!

[Lydia Shutter]

Thank you so much, Robert. It's good to know other poets can relate! Lydi**

[Just Kim]

This is ever so lovely, much enjoyed this.

[Lydia Shutter]

I appreciate your comment. Lydi**

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

“the meticulous casting of a literary spell
has worked its magic yet again”
Such beautiful artwork and message here Lydi…you capture the revival and redemption that poetry brings to us. Yes, the words heal us and provide a wondrous buffer between us and life’s blows that try to ‘blur our edges’ and beat us down over the years. Writing saves us. Shout out from a Bronx girl to a Jersey girl- Brava Queen! Xo

[MsJewel]

I've been away for awhile, but had to come back to read you Lydia. Your words always give me inspiration. I hope all is good Lydia. :) Julie

[Lydia Shutter]

Julie! So pleased to see a review from you here. All is well with me....it has to be! Hope life is treating you as it should! Lydi**

[Einstein Noodle]

well done Ms. Lydi! yes! at an age our edges become blurred .. the crisp direction of youth is blunted .. what I really like about this poem is the "self-reclamation" ... bravo says i! bravo and tally ho! we do have adventures to come .. and a solid patience to steer the course with wisdom .. our poetry .. oh how it does lend us meaning ..
E.
ps. I just posted that poem I told you I was working on ... peace and joy dear friend!

[Lydia Shutter]

Writing is our salvation! Thank you so much, E. Going to check out your newest now. Lydi**

[Einstein Noodle]

:)))))))))))))))))))))))))

[jacob erin-cilberto]

writing can make us that way, no matter what parts of us might have seemed to disappear.
I don't know about the TV news for clues...it's all bad stuff...and I think your imagination

is all good stuff....as exemplified by your writing.
j.

[Lydia Shutter]

Thanks so much, Jacob. Can I borrow your rose-colored glasses? :) Lydi**