Come and Find Me In My Solitude

Solitude sounds good on balance, yet perhaps that is just me.
There is the implication of loneliness, of nobody to talk to,
and I think of the many people for whom the pain of being alone
is immense, maybe unbearable.

"Solitary" - is that a good thing or not?
Life can be torment, and I've had some horrible days,
always of my own making, days where I was alone
with the pain of being a fool, of hot caustic circumstance,
where time itself seemed to be alive with a bad fire.

You have found me in my solitude,
so, which way do we go?

Today, let us go from hot to cool.
Walk with me twenty years ago -
by then, you might think it's cold.

We are in northern Ontario, Canada,
at this time of year - early December.
Clouds lie thickly above us,
a layer of protection.

Our path is around a lake,
water on our left, forest on the right.
There is no wind - if we hold for a time, the only motion
comes from small, widely dispersed snow crystals,
falling earthward, falling mostly past us.
It is that perfect time of morning 
when the world is caught between dark and light,
things visible but still within their hidden selves,
black trees, white snow,
muted greens and grays,
the silver of the water.

At the birth of an instant, an eagle rises and flies directly away,
then turns and glides low over the lake.
We see it moving right to left,
linear above the water,
the glide of the continuum,
seeing past the moment into all that is tranquil,
and everything that softly remains.

All that is below will go, one day.
The eagle senses the union between us,
and begins to gain altitude,
the air being so still that we hear every beat of wings against it.


December 3, 2016
For Mystic Rose's contest:  'Come and Find Me in my Solitude'
Copyright © | Year Posted 2016

Poem

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Zink Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 9:53 PM
Congrats again.
Vinson Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 9:56 PM
Thanks, IZ. All these snapshots of us, on all these pages. Play them fast and think of what the movie would look like.
Vinson Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 9:53 PM
Thank you, Rebecca. It was a beautiful scene. Many of us are often in places so, so different - the polluted, the incinerated, the industrial. For most of my life I've been in those places, and even then, beauty is there.
Teagan Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 3:43 PM
Congratulations, Doug! I really love this one!
Teagan Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 10:16 PM
Beautiful people find beauty in many places
Vinson Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 9:54 PM
Thank you, Rebecca. It was a beautiful scene. Many of us are often in places so, so different - the polluted, the incinerated, the industrial. For most of my life I've been in those places, and even then, beauty is there.
Krampe Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 3:42 PM
You paint a lovely picture with your poem, Doug. Congrats on your win. Agnes
Vinson Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 9:49 PM
Merci, Agnes. This evening the moon was the Cheshire Cat's smile.
Onclaud Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 1:35 PM
on a solitary flight to introspection well depicted, doug... wow, best congrats on your fine ranking!..huggs
Vinson Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 2:37 PM
Thank you, Nette. : ) I wish I had a picture of that day, or better yet - a video. It happened as I described. Being able to hear every flap of the eagle's wings - will never forget that.
Sands Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 1:22 PM
Wow, what a nice journey Doug. Congratulations!
Vinson Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 2:35 PM
:: clinks glass with Heidi's :: It is such a valuable and special thing to be able to so communicate with other people, to "language" them - the word trying to qualify as a verb there.
White Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 1:16 PM
See? From behind the PC you won a wonderful placement for being so outside :) CONGRATULATIONS
Vinson Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 2:32 PM
Thanks, kind Sir. Back in 1993 my mom told me, "Get a computer, Doug - you'll love it." Didn't do it until 1996, but wow was she right.
White Avatar
December 4, 2016 at 11:47 PM
I love your love for the outside, how imaginative you can write. Good luck in the contest :)
White Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 1:42 AM
Ahahahaaa, I would have never believed that if you hadn't told me. Shows how good you are with language :)
Vinson Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 12:45 AM
Thanks, Darren. Have to laugh though - I love staying indoors and being on the computer 24/7 too. : P
Baughman Avatar
December 4, 2016 at 3:41 AM
Love the whole flight of the eagle.
Vinson Avatar
December 5, 2016 at 12:44 AM
Gracias, Christina.
Warrior Avatar
December 3, 2016 at 7:29 PM
Superbly done my friend Doug...I'm Canadian too...I hear you lol...god bless...^WW^
Vinson Avatar
December 3, 2016 at 8:57 PM
Hey WW. Thank you. True story - north of the Trans-Canada Highway as it heads west for Manitoba.
Vinson Avatar
December 3, 2016 at 6:19 PM
Thank you, Judy. There is certainly something about that early morning air.
Ball Avatar
December 3, 2016 at 5:33 PM
Nicely done Doug. Wonderful imagery. I could see the solitary figure watching the eagle in the early morning air. I love early morning walks with my dogs. It's then that I commune with my God and prepare for the day ahead. Great job here and good luck in the contest. A seven from me. God Bless, JB
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