Once there was a time

Once there was a time

The sun's shadows shone bright

Helios took the blues, the sky to prime

Come the gentle womb of night

Maternal caresses filled with love

Bursting from each bough new life

A hawk metamorphosed into a dove

A child's game, transfigured all strife

In our nakedness we were proud

Living in Eden's hope with no shame

We had no need for a shroud

No feeling of gilt or blame

Primal water, eroded frowns to smiles

Amity permeated all people

We were young and naive to wiles

And all dreams were believable

With the weight of falling sand

Maturity ripened into a crime

What was beautiful fell out of hand

Once there was a time

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

As Solomon put it, he that increases knowledge increases sorrow. As we age and learn, that time of innocence does leave us. It is the lost Eden.

[Soren]

So well put John. It is in fact the last Eden. Thank you for your review

[Kelly Scheppers]

Your title and the repetition of it as the opening and closing lines here, are quite profound. It's quite a feat to master, and as Will stated, it does showcase a poet's talent in a most extreme way. I believe this is my first reading of you. But not the last.

[Soren]

I thank you so much for your review and most kind words, they humble me.

[willweb]

This was really nice my friend. I love a poem that opens and closes with the same line. It really show the poet's talent in my opinion. Those day when all that mattered was playing ball and riding bikes, there is a reason they are called the good old days.

[Soren]

Thank you Will yes the good old days buried under layers of years sometimes unearthed in memories, sometimes distorted when seen through the glasses of the present.

[Chris Shaw]

Beautiful sentiment here Soren that I can relate too. Days of childhood. Happy, safe and so memorable.. A pity I had to grow up. I’d still like to be there. The world we live in today a far cry from what I anticipated back in my youth. Beautiful stanzas.

Chris

[Soren]

Thank you so much Chris for the review and insight into the meaning of the piece. I appreciate the review

[Chris Shaw]

You are very welcome my friend.

[Betty Hermelee]

There was a time when life was raw and simple, all smiles and a re-both of off all that was good, Even “ the sun’s shadow shines bright” we were unblemished and innocent….those were the times… now the heaviness of sand has fallen upon us and all that we had was driven away by a new world which was no longer simple and beautiful.
Nice work.
Best
B.

[Soren]

Thank you so much Betty I so appreciate your review and kind words.

[Betty Hermelee]

You're very welcome Soren!
Best, B

[jacob erin-cilberto]

love the oxymoron of the "sun's shadows" and the paradox of shadows shining bright.

a hawk becoming a dove...and our Bald Eagle, the symbol of our country...falling with the weight of the world that we try to put into our nest...
"Eden's hope with no shame"...but beauty fell out our of hand...

Yes, there was a time...
and this poem is timely.
j.

[Soren]

Thank you Jacob for the review and kind words.