Student of Life

Student of Life

A Poem by jacob erin-cilberto


Student of Life

 

 

 

a leaf explained autumn to me

just before it detached

from the roots of its philosophy

 

and pondered to the ground

a silent, whirling

thinker,

 

as i 

the amazed student of nature

tried to assimilate

from the veins of its wisdom.

 

 

 

erin-cilberto

10/31/19

© 2019 jacob erin-cilberto


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Ah, but to be like an autumn leaf and not be green our entire lives, but burn with passion and color as our season comes to an end. Some day, we too, must fall. This is just great Jacob, I really like it.

Posted 4 Years Ago


jacob erin-cilberto

4 Years Ago

thank you, Fabian...appreciate your visits and insights...
j.
What genius you personify, "from the veins of its wisdom". Such a magnificent presentation, J.

Posted 4 Years Ago


jacob erin-cilberto

4 Years Ago

thank you for your very kind comments, Kelly,
j.
As I read, I found myself remembering a day from long ago when I was sitting in my car in front of the elementary school, waiting for my daughter. I had the windows down because it was a beautiful fall day. The breeze blew in from one window and out the other. It was so quiet and serene that I felt I could fall asleep so easily. The sound of the crisping leaves rustling in the breeze was like a lullaby. Then, a leaf blew into my car and landed on my lap. I picked it up and ran my finger over the veins of a large Oak leaf. It still had a tinge of life in it and I had the strangest feeling. It was like holding something that was taking its last breath. It made me think, it made me think of how anything living dies vs. how things that aren't alive can still die. Like my car on the iciest day of the year, my refrigerator when it's fully stocked, my AC on the hottest day. In the quiet of a single day, certain sounds, certain textures and a certain season taught me a lot of things, just by making me stop and think. Thanks for the reminder of the small things that lead to bigger ones.

Posted 4 Years Ago


jacob erin-cilberto

4 Years Ago

thank you for sharing, Rhayne...and yes, the little things are important....and we take them for gra.. read more
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simple thoughts are not easy to pin down and make them stand out
Yet you manage to do so, and make it seem effortless.
-Manya

Posted 4 Years Ago


jacob erin-cilberto

4 Years Ago

thank you for your kind words, Manya,
j.
This is beautiful in its profundity. At the core of dying is the life that came before, and there is much to be gleaned from both. Well penned.

Posted 4 Years Ago


jacob erin-cilberto

4 Years Ago

yes, there is...much...thank you, Linda,
j.
I think this is very simple but also very hard to put into words. whenever I ramble about ambiguous nonreductive truth I am thinking of things like this. where it is more than the sum of its parts, even though the parts are very nice as well. It has koan-like ambiguity (and though I overuse the comparison) and a Jim dodge like gospel of the undeniable truth sorta tao kind of way. This is one of my favorites.

Posted 4 Years Ago


jacob erin-cilberto

4 Years Ago

thank you for your very kind review, drew,
j.
Couldn't help it j. Had to go to YouTube and play Nat King Cole's The Autumn Leaves. It is that time of life and hopefully in the autumn of our years we have learned to appreciate the Spring and Summer years and not fear Winter.

Excellent thought friend.

Posted 4 Years Ago


jacob erin-cilberto

4 Years Ago

yes, hopefully....thank you, Ted,
j.
What I read here, J., is the value of perspective. We see trees in all seasons, and the most learned student studies not only the lofty green and gold but the dead and brown leaves at their feet. A student of life knows death, too.

Posted 4 Years Ago


jacob erin-cilberto

4 Years Ago

thank you for your kind and insightful review, R.E.
j.
The great wise tree, standing there year in year out never judging as we trundle through our lives.
Maybe that is the message of life, certain things have to change as the seasons change, you've gotta let them.

Posted 4 Years Ago


jacob erin-cilberto

4 Years Ago

yes, we do have to let them...can't fight aging forever...have to adapt.
thank you, Paul,
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Gee
For many of us wisdom comes far to late, usually after way to many bad experiences and much heartache..and yes, in the autumn of our lives .
Morning Jacob, hope you are well.

Posted 4 Years Ago


jacob erin-cilberto

4 Years Ago

thank you for your words, Gee....and yes, doing fine...how about in your neck of the woods?
j.. read more
Gee

4 Years Ago

All good thanks you :)

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Added on November 1, 2019
Last Updated on November 1, 2019

Author

jacob erin-cilberto
jacob erin-cilberto

Carbondale, IL



About
Originally from Bronx, NY, I live in Carbondale, Illinois...teach English at a community college and have been writing and publishing poetry since 1970. I am here to read for inspiration from other po.. more..

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