sanity averted

running from avarice, real or imagined...what?

to try in vain to hurt

is to waste another ghost to god

and the wading-through of souls

scarcely wets one’s feet.

now fitting in at this stage

would be contrived and hustled

like dark, luxurious cars;

they chase the truth to cloud the mind…

to stay so introverted so that

sanity’s averted.

 

puddled on pavement on route

to the summit

of broken, stolen charms

with the bracelet lost to time.

this psychic discretion is linked to

all I stood for as time

ran on and on

for lack of better goals being met

or reimagined.

 

the depth of optic clutter,

signs rise to meet the shaper of questions

who wishes me sane

in vain.

 

dan © 2016

Music: Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts I - IX) by Pink Floyd

Author's Note

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

Strong and honest thoughts in the poetry.
"the depth of optic clutter
signs rise to meet the shaper of questions
who wishes me sane
in vain."
Clutter must be empty out or we won't be sane. Thank you Dan for sharing the excellent poetry. Left me with something to think about.
Coyote

[dan]

Thank you for your interpretation; all individual interpretations are correct, of course; that's what poetry is all about. Each reader sees what they believe the meaning to be. It's why I love to write and read others' writing. Thanks again John. take care...dan

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome Dan.

[CiNtsaLis]

Wow, This reads as- a Sinner- a person who is a non-believer-He knows the fear of our father God. When he thinks of our Father God- he's shaking so much that he wet his feet. This person only known one thing in life and that was GREED. I suppose(?) or one of the following SEVEN DEADLY SINS. He lusted luxurious cars. That was all that he's ever known. His Lust was all that kept him sane. I'd say- over time- the car aged- along with him. It lost it's beauty- Everything suddenly- no longer has values. The person starts to slowly feel lost with no direction. He no longer cares- that's all that hit me. Am I wrong?

-cintsalis.

[dan]

Again, religious ideology was not the intended theme here. It's more about my struggles with bipolar and anxiety disorders, how they play with my emotions so strenuously. Do I consider myself sane? Absolutely, but when feeling really bad my sanity is called into question.
Thanks so much for the read/review. take care...dan

[Amber Lily]

Hmm... this makes me think about how people fight all their lives to be successful, and once they finally have what they want, there left standing there saying 'now what?' What is it we do after we achieve our dreams? Do we find another, or do we slowly lose our minds within the materials we have gathered. Great write dan :)

[dan]

Amber, I love how you've interpreted this piece. In my mind, after all, every interpretation is correct. I remember an old quote (Dan Fogelberg) that says, "And where do we go when we get to the end of our dream?" Yes, I like your take a lot! Thank you for that. take care...dan

[Amber Lily]

Your most welcome dan! :)

[E G TEN]

Hello Dan, I feel your every words while you communicate with the inner you. I believe some points
in our lives we live to the extreme and border line insanity. but who knows what really is the difference
I think to be insane is also to he human. I fine write Sir, well done EG

[dan]

I believe every life displays a bit of insanity...just a blip, maybe, but still there. Does it make anyone an inherently bad person? I say only if they wish to be.
Thank you for the intuitive review. take care...dan

[Tina]

superb. insanity is a great interest to those who can relate and yet live somewhat sane lives as that is where we hide.

[dan]

Tina: "...that is where we hide?" I LOVE that line! It is my opinion that no one ever pronounces one's self "insane;" but after hearing it enough times (actually hear stuff more like 'disturbed,' 'manic depressive,' 'OCD,' 'Bipolar.....Anxiety disorder, etc") one starts looking in the mirror to see a sideways likeness of a man, stigmatized and ostracized. Thank you so much for your kind words and mentioning those who relate. take care...dan

[dan]

Stuck between those four white walls all day (they're actually not all white) a lot of thinking is done, some of it not really cogent...self-talk is generated for good or worse. Does the writer want to be sane or insane? The writer just wants to be one or the other...to quit fluctuating between. That will be his idea of "home."
Thank you so much for the insightful review, I always appreciate feedback! take care...dan

[SleeplessVolcano]

mmmm....the battle for our sanity is right up there with the best of life's challenges, right? I like how you leave the reader slightly puzzled, i.e. wondering whether the writer wants to be sane or insane.

Personally, when I look at the lives of people, based on the world's standards, having "everything they need".....house on the hill....to die for job......wife and kids sculptured from the Guinness Book of Families.....I sometimes giggle silently and consider my random chaos at the bottom of the hill a lot more real than their pie-in-the-sky manufactured sanity....

Thank you for sharing this sanity provoking poem!

[Ruth]

Wow...took my senses to unknown plains :) A great song to accompany this poem as well, me thinks...superb metaphor and surrealism...epic!

[dan]

Thanks so much. I wanted to project a feeling of entrapment due to involuntary hospitalization. Some objects of imagery are delineating characters involved ("the shaper of questions" = prying doctor's incessant inane psychobabble) A lot of alone time, too much time spent thinking.
I'm happy you enjoyed it, thank you for the perceptive read/review. take care...dan

[Ruth]

My pleasure Dan, a brilliant piece :)

[.]

Another very deep write, Dan.

Sanity or insanity, that is the question.
This sounds to me like it is written from the perspective of a pysch ward inmate.
One trying so hard to fit in and prove his Sanity, but alas ultimately being declared insane by a pysch "shaper of questions"

Another thought provoking piece, Dan. Good work!

[dan]

That is exactly the perspective I tried to project through the piece. It is, after all, INSIDER perspective. It is somewhat easier to write what one has experienced...looking back. Thanks so much for the visit and the intuitive read/review. take care...dan

[Rafy T.Nym]

First of all, I can sense brilliance in every line of this poem. The chain of thought was sometimes imbalanced, I don't know if they were done willfully but they actually helped the theme,most of all the poem to build up.

"To stay so introverted. . so sanity's averted"- I prefer this line, this line expresses the desperation almost 'Peacefully'. 'Optic clutter' and 'Bracelet' these words created the perfect atmosphere.

Great write!

[dan]

Imbalanced was what I wanted desperately to project, because there is little balance in the questioning of one's sanity; intense questioning by 'the shaper of questions', meant to diagnose actually can talk the questioned one into answers that inadvertently point straight down the rabbit hole, into the path of a delusional thought.
Thanks so much for the thoughtful read/review. You are usually right on the scent of what I was shooting for. take care...dan