I Should Have

I should have risen early
when the sunlight blessed the water
when the clouds were driven westward
on a breezy blue sky morn

I should have seen the willows
on the crowded banks a swaying
while the geese and ducks were dozing
in the river's flow at dawn

I was oh so far away though
I was floating in the heavens
I was chasing silver moonbeams
I was dancing with the spirits
I was ageless newly born

I saw the comet's soaring
through the darkened night time velvet
I was mesmerised by brightness
with a feeling I was weightless

while the clock had long stopped ticking
there was nothing I was missing
I was taken I was yearning
there is nothing here to mourn

Reviews

[Carola]

hi chris
another wonderful piece of penmanship.
you probably had a vivid dream. on waking, lucky that you remembered the images & turned them into words.
cheerio carola
ps love the idea of weightlessness, my daily aspiration, but I need a mouth zipper!

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks carola, I was certainly in and out of dreams. Pleased for all your encouragement and support.

Chris

[Davidgeo]

This one is kinda dark. Usually that's not your thing. Which makes this a little extra creepy to me.

[Chris Shaw]

We all have a dark side. That's where the muse led me while the sun was shining bright. Tha ks fir the visit.

Chris

[Davidgeo]

It's true, you can't have a piece of the light without knowing at least a little bit of the dark. The sun is going to have something to do with your death by the way, it already has if you really force yourself to think about it. It's kind of delightful to think about if you think about it in the right way. It's a very strange place, everyone is looking at the same thing in a fundamentally different way. Madness should be more common.

[Ayesha]

Hi Chris. I haven't been active on WC for quite some time now...but now that I am back, this is the first poem I read and it is beautiful. Reminds me of Dickinson's
"I Spilt the dew -
But took the morn -
I chose this single star
From out the wide night's numbers
Sue - forevermore"

[Chris Shaw]

Hey, pleased to see you here and more than happy you read me first Ayesha. All the best.

read moreHey, pleased to see you here and more than happy you read me first Ayesha. All the best.

Chris

[Dave Brown]

essentially, I always rise before the sun
watching it catch the tree tops in the morning is a treasure.
Even if you actually do miss the sun rising on that rare occasion, you have more than made amends with this very very nicely done bit of poetry.
I often feel it is a pity these thingys get posted and in a week or so are gone and mainly forgotten.
This is too nice to forget and should somehow be meshed into the mind's fabric to last on and on
Beautifully done Chris

[Chris Shaw]

What a lovely review Dave. Thank you so much.

Chris

[lightsong]

I wish I have written this... and when I die I wish to die like this, in a peaceful dreamy sleeping...

another Magnificent Masterpiece from your Golden sparkling pen. Remarkable the least to say...

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you dear lightsong for your continued encouragement and support. You are a blessing.
read moreThank you dear lightsong for your continued encouragement and support. You are a blessing.

Chris

[Eilis]

This poem has an interesting effect on me. I felt it two ways. It seems like someone speaking after death on the one hand—seeing things as though they are being lifted away and having the view change inch by inch. But also like someone still living but moving through different states of awareness. I want to say clarity grows, but also I can’t escape the sense of regret we begin with.

Perhaps as time goes on, we become better able to forgive ourselves for what we see as our mistakes. Not giving enough time or attention to the smaller things is, I think, a regret most have at some point. But life presents challenges we have to live through before we have the luxury (strange word, I know) of time and space to regret.

I felt the speaker was at a place where the regrets but also the self-forgiveness could be acknowledged. I think one of the things that sets us apart from other mammals is this sense of being able to think about things in a backwards and forwards manner. To consider the past as something we have power to change. Of course we know we can’t change it, but we think of ways we can change ourselves to try to alter the impact we feel we’ve had in the past.

I like the way the poem seems to explore this. It seems to move through different stages of awareness and find itself at a place of letting go. Which is, I suppose, a place we all have to make it to someday if we want peace. I always enjoy the depth of your poems, Chris.

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Eilis, thrilled that my poem can generate such indepth thoughts. You have certainly covered much ground. I thank you loads for your interest.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

To me, there is a love of nature so strong...and the speaker gets away from the hustle and bustle

of life in a city....gets away to where all sounds are nature...being at piece...nothing left to mourn...it was like being in heaven before dying....but dying of bliss, in a way.
love this poem,
j.

[Chris Shaw]

Ah that love of nature, how true that is. Many thanks J. Pleased you like this one.

Chris

[Patricia]

Very well written Chris! Great lines, great rhythm and flow, I love the repetition of “I was”… it all has such a surreal feel to it but very real feelings that are so moving.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you dear friend for your positive comments. You are appreciated.

Chris

[Aura]

There seems to be a sese of regret in this poem, this person spent time chasing after the bugger things in life, forgetting to stop and welcome the simple things like waking up in the early hours of the morning to welcome the beauty of the scene. Sometimes it is the small things that count as much as the big things. Thanks for sharing!

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Aura for your thoughts and for stopping by. All good wishes.

Chris

[Aura]

My pleasure!

[Temperance]

...there is nothing here to mourn. I feel like you're saying that you enjoyed life and did the things that made you happy and, after all is said and done...you're not sorry for the choices you made. I say, should haves and could haves don't count. Life is to be lived. Something for us to think about. I like this! Thank you for sharing. Temp

[Chris Shaw]

Thanks Temp for the read and for sharing your thoughts. Always good to see you.

Chris

[Temperance]

You are so welcome!

[Red Brick Keshner]

'there is nothing here to mourn' a line that brings a peace and a settledness in the midst of life's constant din. Thanks, Chris. This was very uplifting. /Frederick.

[Chris Shaw]

Pleased you enjoyed the read Frédérick. Hope all is as good as it can be for you.

Chris

[Red Brick Keshner]

Getting through a day is as good as we can expect, Chris. At least for now. It's getting a good night's rest that is of supreme value! these days... Cheers. Frederick.