An infinite sorrow

Inspired by much of the poetry of this community. An amalgamation of nature and love.

An Infinite Sorrow

(Solitude)

By

Carlos Lorenzo Estrada 

Lest light should lose its glimmer

In the solstice of waning day

A field of bending golden wheat

In sorrow and dismay 

Should chorus of crystal rivers

Lament into mourning dew

As all the flighty tree birds sing

A wailing song of you

 

Let time forget these moments 

Whispered yearnings of our past

In the thousand tears that followed 

Of fleeting ardor, love, and angst 

Oh requiem in twilight's autumn 

Serenade this heart to sleep 

Call to mind these memories 

Of her... these tears I weep 

 

Author's Note

One can not be a part of this community and not be inspired by the art shared by others. The world speaks to each of us in these written words. Poets from all parts of the world who reflect the same creativity and aspirations displayed here. Shared love, hope, dreams, and sorrow. Our differences are little, for our empathy is grand. CLE

Reviews

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

“Should chorus of crystal rivers
Lament into mourning dew“
… Carlos, you have truly written a deeply moving masterpiece of poetry here. “Solitude”, yes. Grief, yes. You perfectly evoke the pain of true love lost and mournful tears shed, with your graceful and lyrical verses, perfect musical references, vivid imagery, beautiful language, great meter, metaphor, alliteration and rhyme. This is an iconic, classic and memorable poem. So well-penned. Kudos my wonderfully poetic friend!

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Annette for such a kind and encouraging comment on this piece. It is one of my favorites that I have written, at least in the top 5. I devoted quite a bit of time on this poem because its message was so profoundly me. I wanted to take beautiful moments in the world that we so often gloss over and take for granted while presenting a loving melancholy to them. To make it a bit ambiguous as to find a bit of resonance within the reader's heart. I also felt inspired by many of the submissions here in the community and the wonderful talented writers, including yourself, that move me to art. Thank you so much your comment means the world to me.

[Coyote Poetry]

Powerful and worthwhile words shared Carlos.
"Call to mind these memories
Of her... these tears I weep"
The above lines. They were my favorite and I believe. We are like a brick house. Just adding new bricks till we feel complete or lost. Thank you for sharing the amazing poetry and your thoughts.
Coyote

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you CP for your thoughts on this poem. I really appreciate it my friend. As a fan of your poetry and artistic mind it means a lot to me. I recently found myself recently walking along Cannery Row and the Warf in Monterey and I smiled thinking if my fellow poet friend had walked the same street. Thank you again CP.

[Coyote Poetry]

I wished I walked with you. Maybe In September? I need a week in Monterey and Big Sur. You are welcome my friend.

[Lisasview]

Good morning Carlos,
Wow, what a wonderful poem...with so much meaning behind your words.
Pain is expressed here...and sadness...we as poets are lucky to be able to express our feelings... Even as a child I did this... taking pencil to paper was a great way to get rid of unwanted feelings... Onto paper and out of my heart (head)
Lisa, early in Spain

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you kindly Lisa. I was so much like you as well when I was a child. I loved writing it was an art I naturally gravitated towards as a youth. And in my old age I have found it returning with the same passion, though sprinkled with profound wisdom of my elder age. This poem was a passion write for me. I feel some what a kinship to these words. For they echo the loss of many things in my life. They are my unwept tears. My solitude in melancholic memories. A thousand years of sorrow. At least that is what my old heart feels. It is my hope that those who read this work will find some relevance in the words. But not linger in them, but find their own peace within the solitude of sadness. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with me on this piece. I appreciate it so very much.

[keith]

'In the solstice of waning day'
a very very strong line that can stand on it's own
loss is something many cannot forget because the focus is on the loss not the good that was done

for me, i want to be ground up into crab bait, a useful accomplishment and contribution to nature
when the pots are hauled and the catch of the day is brought to the docks, it would be my honor for a crab boil to happen
the best part would be i get the last word to those attending ... 'EAT ME B*****S! HA!
go out with a laugh not tears!
then i can make my journey to valhala in peace!

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

I so like that thought of yours my friend. To return to the belly of nature. As well as find ourselves in Valhalla. Thank you Keith for sharing your thoughts with me.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I am quite taken by this allegory. As sure as several members of Mother Nature rue the setting of the sun...we humans rue the loss of those close to us.
I am especially relating to this poem because of some really early exits of close friends of mine who died much too young, and had their last sunset with not another sunrise.
j.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you J for sharing your insight with me on this poem. When composing this piece I wanted to make is ambiguous and amorphous so that the reader can find some relation to the words. To elicit the idea of unwept tears for something or someone we have lost. Where even the sight of beautiful nature would reflect not joy buy sorrow in this solitude. I felt it was a bit ambitious on my part, but aren't we all as writers? The words we choose have such a powerful impact on our audience because that is what we intentionally strive for. To remind them of their humanity and what it asks of us. I recently found myself in Monterey and took a walk by the shore. It was such a beautiful day but I felt a sense of sadness. Because I was experiencing this beauty around me, yet those who I have lost in my past can not. I felt guilt, sorrow, and solitude in my melancholy. These words which you expertly define are truly an allegory. Thank you J for your thoughts and friendship.

[Temperance]

Beautifully painful and moving. I feel the loss and it makes my heart ache for it could be my story with the ending …these memories of him…. Well done! Temp

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Temp. I so appreciate your thoughts on this poem because they are exactly what I was attempting with this piece. I wanted it to be a bit ambiguous as to allow the reader to find something relatable to them in these words. I feel that is the power of creative art. To allow your audience to find resonance in the work and how it may be relative in their own lives. To feel unwept tears behind the surface of our skin that we hind from the world. Our solitude in sorrow, for something lost or someone gone. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with me. I really appreciate it.

[Temperance]

I appreciate you and your art!

[John the Baptist]

Heavy with grief, this one. Whether the loss is recent or recalled from the distant past, the pain is still there, and any of the vivid images described might trigger it. This life might be described as a series of losses, but they can be a reminder for us to appreciate what we love while it is still there.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you JB, your comment is so very true. We meander through life accumulating pain and sometimes letting it build within us. Thousands of days of sorrow in tears yet to be wept. Whether the loss is one that is physical or amorphous in nature such as our creativity. We as writers mourn more powerfully than others because we see and feel the world differently. I wrote this with some ambiguity because sorrow is a personal journey for us all. For the narrator to see melancholy in the beauty of nature truly is a life of profound sadness. A thousand years of tears. Thank you again my friend for sharing your thoughts on this piece of poetry.

[Soren]

This wonderfully worded poem speaks not only of lost relationships but could speak of our loss in any area such as arts, spirituality or knowledge. Well written and worded.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Soren for your insightful and true comment on this piece. You are absolutely correct in your assessment. I made a choice to be as ambiguous and amorphous as to who or what the narrator was speaking to. Was it Nature, or an actual woman, or perhaps creativity and inspiration. What was the loss that moved one to such profound sorrow that every day images reflected not their beauty but sadness in the eyes of this poet. I was hoping to elicit a sense of solitude and its emotional anguish. The loss of something so incredibly important within the soul that it would mourn a thousand years in isolation. Metaphorically of course. As mentioned before this poem is inspired by the amazing art I find here in this wonderful community of talented writers. Everyone moves my heart to words. And I'm a better person for it. Because I'm liberated and free to to express and create with uncompromising thought. Thank you again my friend.

[Soren]

Most welcome

[Neville]

here, you have managed to reinforce the very reason why I first fell in love with this art form we have such a collective fondness for .............. bravo my friend .. Neville :)

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Neville for your kind thoughts on this poem. One can not help but draw inspiration from this creative artful community. They weave with words such profound and heart touching messages. On any and all subjects one can find a story or poem that will move their emotions or inspire their thoughts. I just feel blessed really to have found this amazing group of writers who are friends and incredible artists as well. Everyone has inspired me to with their work and voices which give life to the dreams of their words. Knowing all of you makes me a better writer. Thank you again my friend.

[Neville]

............. always a pleasure sir Carlos .. and always mine sir .................. Neville :)