You Are

(This poem was inspired in part by John Clare's magnificent poem, "I Am"; I wrote it in the autumn of 2013, after we had discussed "I Am" in an adult class I taught. Its truth I can attest to by having experienced an NDE as a young man. In these fraught times, perhaps it will help to remember we are eternal beings traveling for a brief time in mortal vessels.) You are, and not as feared : just a birthing and a dying, nothing before, nothing after.... No, that is your body (and brain)-- but you are...forever... without beginning, without ending, a soul stepping briefly out of Eternity into a fragile shell alone and lost in a world of life and death, sunrise and sunset, desire and regret.... Yet you forget what you truly are-- the very breath of God! And so you blunder through this dream-speckled life like an orphaned child hungering for home....

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Susan Ashley

Date: 1/1/2024 9:18:00 AM

Dear Nola, poet extraordinaire, you've managed to capture something so grand in the limited space of a poetic form. The immensity of a soul, of eternity and the limitations of being human are corralled in a free verse with poetic finesse. The depth and breadth of your poem escapes its confines to expand far beyond in the unlimited universe of profound thought. A fav! Congratulations for your excellent win in Brian's contest. Happy new year! Warmest wishes, my friend.. ~Susan

L. J. Carber
Date: 1/6/2024 11:47:00 AM

Ah, Susan, you're making me blush! But yes, I learned long ago the truth reflected in the titles of my books: THE ENORMITY OF EXISTENCE; OF ETHER AND EARTH; & SOUL SONGS-- all published under my pen name, Nolo Segundo

Beata Agustin

Date: 12/31/2023 11:41:00 PM

Congrats. Thanks for sharing this. Joyous New year to you and your family. God bless you.

L. J. Carber
Date: 1/1/2024 8:01:00 AM

Thanks! Happy New Year!

Silent One

Date: 12/31/2023 1:16:00 PM

Congratulations on your placement in the contest..

L. J. Carber
Date: 1/1/2024 8:01:00 AM

Thank you, Silent One

Mark Koplin

Date: 1/23/2021 8:37:00 PM

Congratulations on your win, Carber!

L. J. Carber
Date: 1/24/2021 7:35:00 AM

Thank you, much appreciated

Anne-Lise Andresen

Date: 1/23/2021 12:00:00 PM

- Congratulations on your great win in the Carolyn Devonshire contest, L.J. :) - hugs // Anne-Lise :)

L. J. Carber
Date: 1/24/2021 7:36:00 AM

Thanks Anne-Lise, and may you and yours have a blessed 2021!

Carolyn Devonshire

Date: 1/22/2021 4:49:00 AM

This is a nice poem, L.J. It just seemed a bit off the topic of "unity." Congrats on your place in the contest. Best wishes, Carolyn

L. J. Carber
Date: 1/22/2021 10:22:00 AM

That' fine, Carolyn-- I interpreted unity in a more metaphysical sense as the 'unity' of one's personality, i.w., the endless soul. I suspect if more people were aware of their immortal side, there would be less strife and so more unity of every sort.

Neethu Sivaraj Adiyoli

Date: 5/15/2020 12:59:00 AM

Congratulations on your top win :)

L. J. Carber
Date: 5/15/2020 10:29:00 AM

Thank you--it is very much appreciated!

Greg Gaul

Date: 5/14/2020 7:30:00 PM

As a bizarre coincidence LJ, I agree with your metaphysical conclusion. Admire how you dive right in where most would fear to tread. We get there by slightly different means, my guess is my approach is a tad more Eastern. Anyhow, thanks for writing on one of the great questions of humankind. Congratulations, well done.

L. J. Carber
Date: 5/15/2020 10:28:00 AM

Thanks Greg--you're right, it's a measure of how narrow-minded the predominant secular atheistic worldview is when many are afraid to even use the words soul, eternity, God....

Line Gauthier

Date: 7/28/2019 8:11:00 AM

Awesome, LJ. Congrats on your well deserved win.

L. J. Carber
Date: 7/28/2019 5:34:00 PM

Thank you Line-- much appreciated!

Barbara Barry-Nishanian

Date: 7/13/2019 2:39:00 PM

SO beautiful, scripturally disagree with soul having no beginning, Gen 2:7 show man BECAME a living soul. Beginning, began at time caught first breath of GOD. Really lovely congrats! Going to read more of your poems.

L. J. Carber
Date: 7/13/2019 4:58:00 PM

Well, Barbara, much of the Bible's profound truth is metaphoric. Yes, we are 'living souls' in this world, unique amongst all species, but I was 'shown' that my soul exists prior to birth and after death-- that it has always existed, without beginning or end--and yes, almost 50 years later I'm still trying to get my head around it. But then, if we're made in the image of God, we would be immortal beings.

Gary Smith

Date: 1/12/2019 8:43:00 AM

Excellent poem L.J. Congrats, much enjoyed. :)

L. J. Carber
Date: 1/13/2019 7:28:00 AM

Thanks Gary, it is much appreciated.

Line Gauthier

Date: 1/6/2019 10:21:00 AM

Wow - awesome poem, A FAVE for me. Congrats on your top win, LJ.

L. J. Carber
Date: 1/7/2019 9:57:00 AM

Thanks Line-- it always means a lot hearing it from you!

P.S. Awtry

Date: 1/4/2019 10:07:00 PM

Beautiful! Thank you for sharing this!

L. J. Carber
Date: 1/5/2019 9:28:00 AM

Thank you, it is much appreciated!

Heidi Sands

Date: 1/4/2019 10:12:00 AM

Congratulations for this excellent win :)

L. J. Carber
Date: 1/5/2019 9:29:00 AM

Thank you, Heidi

Eve Roper

Date: 1/4/2019 9:20:00 AM

Congratulations on your win, L.J.. May you have a happy new year with lots of blessings. Hugs Eve ~`*

L. J. Carber
Date: 1/5/2019 9:30:00 AM

Thanks Eve, and may you and yours have a healthy and blessed 2019!

Janice Canerdy

Date: 5/11/2018 8:35:00 AM

Excellent--thought-provoking, L.J. CONGRATS! Janice

L. J. Carber
Date: 5/12/2018 8:06:00 AM

Thank you, Janice

Line Gauthier

Date: 5/10/2018 1:28:00 PM

Wow, L.J. I love your last 5 lines, they are mind-blowing. Congrats on your top win.

L. J. Carber
Date: 5/12/2018 8:07:00 AM

Thank Line---they blow my mind too, even after almost 1/2 a century!

Dr. Upma A. Sharma

Date: 9/16/2015 1:01:00 AM

Wonderful poem n win Ien! Big congrats!

Laura Leiser

Date: 9/15/2015 5:35:00 PM

Len, with a few very well chosen words, you created an excellent poem that made me go back to read it over and over again! I love that you put in the thought of the fact that we are "the very breath of God". Congrats on your win :)