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The Great Conundrum

There is something about matter that keeps me spellbound, enamored to its most exquisite blooms, oceans, forests and mountain streams. It holds who I am, gives me shape and form, a home, a place in which this awareness within me can live out a life and from which I have grown. I am in awe of its compositions, in love with its colors, perfumes and sounds, the touch of warm skin and the sweet taste of freshly harvested fruit. All is matter. It is a source of pleasure and joy and yet inflicts equal measure of suffering through loss and pain. But what is matter when scaled down to its essence….mere particles that can be smashed apart to decay into ghostly spirals. Is this all I am, a quantum equation at my core. Or is it a Creator's gift, the stuff born out of the act of a conscious mind, eternal in some mysterious way. And so it is with me, beside the beloved river taking in the last light of the day. Full of hope and doubt I see this lovely world slowly slipping away and wonder whether if this is all there is and nothing more or will I awake from this dream as I may have done so many lifetimes before.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2024




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Date: 12/29/2024 12:53:00 AM
So great to see this in the list of top 100 new poems. Well deserved, Paul. Blessings Sx :)
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Date: 12/4/2024 12:09:00 AM
The last stanza awakens me to the dreamlike trance I walk through life in... Who knows? 'I may have done so many lifetimes before,' as you wrote -- or perhaps they are all separate streams flowing into one river of life. Thanks, Paul!
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Date: 11/17/2024 8:31:00 PM
A lovely poem that hurls many profound questions. We know everything is made up of matter. When extricated, this matter dissolves into particles. What next? It is still a mystery. One who can find joy in all created forms of matter is indeed lucky. Congratulations Paul on your well deserved POTD
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 1:18:00 AM
Hi Valsa, Some very thoughtful observations, so very much appreciated. Good to receive such feedback and to learn that in some way the words connected...valued my friend. Take care, Paul
Date: 11/17/2024 4:56:00 PM
Dear Paul, your thoughts always leave me in complete ' awe.' This is so beautiful and tender. While particles float and form in this world, it truly amazes me how everything falls into place. Congratulations my dear friend, on Poem of the Day. My best to you. :) Hugs, Brandy
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 1:11:00 AM
Hi Brandy...sincere thanks for offering such generous and thoughtful comments. Pleased that the poem spoke and that you gave it your time, an honor. Value you words dear friend, take care, Paul
Date: 11/17/2024 4:07:00 PM
Couldn't be happier to see your amazing thought provoking poem up here Paul... so deserving of POTD! Another incredible ' Paul Poem' my lovely friend!! Congrats and enjoy! Debx
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 1:06:00 AM
Hi Deb, Can't help myself from getting into these mind mazes...thought provoking scenarios...so pleased you jumped in and value your kind comments my dear friend. Take care, Paul
Date: 11/17/2024 3:51:00 PM
POTD well deserved indeed. Evocative and poignant.
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 1:01:00 AM
Appreciate your kind words Arlo...thankyou for reading the poem... regards, Paul
Date: 11/17/2024 2:06:00 PM
Paul, wonderful writing and congratulations on receiving the POEM OF THE DAY honor, blessings, Constance
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 12:59:00 AM
so good to hear from you Constance, thankyou for your comments and taking the time to wade through this poem. Return blessings...take care, Paul
Date: 11/17/2024 12:54:00 PM
Back with congratulations on a more than deserving POTD Paul, you have a remarkable talent for paring back reality into its basic constituents, a true poet! Cheers David
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 12:57:00 AM
A double helping of your generosity David...I'm afraid I fell into the sin of gluttony feasting on such comments my dear friend. Sincere thanks, Paul
Date: 11/17/2024 12:01:00 PM
Hello Paul, congratulations on POTD for this beauty for I artistically captures the intricate dance of existence, blending awe and introspection. I loved the reflections on matter and consciousness. I always see a Creator at work. Enjoy your special Day!! - Autumn Blessings, My Dear Friend, Daniel
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 12:54:00 AM
Thanks Daniel for your thoughtful comments...always a pleasure to receive such insights, a keen mind surveying the ground covered by the poem. Valued my friend, regards, Paul
Date: 11/17/2024 9:12:00 AM
Congratulations on your POTD win. Enjoy your day/week with your wonderful win.............
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 12:46:00 AM
Thanks Paula for taking the time to read the poem and your note...appreciated. Regards, Paul
Date: 11/17/2024 9:06:00 AM
I like your last choice best! Your poem is very thought-provoking and deserving of POTD! It's not an easy task to write about one's self. Congratulations!
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 12:45:00 AM
Yeah...my preference too. Many thanks for wading through this Poem Ann, value your time and comments. Take care, Paul
Date: 11/17/2024 9:00:00 AM
Cingratulations, Pangie
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 12:43:00 AM
Thankyou Pangie for your congratulatory note....valued. Regards, Paul
Date: 11/17/2024 7:58:00 AM
Could be we are living a dream, maybe one day we will know, a well deserved POTD Paul.
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 12:42:00 AM
Thanks John for your comments....quite happy at the moment to keep inside the borders of the dream...not a bad place to be. Again, appreciate giving the poem your time John, regards, Paul
Date: 11/17/2024 6:29:00 AM
Paul, a magnificent poem, nature can be "spellbound" with all it's sensory gifts we can enjoy. It's a shame that we are under leadership who don't care about our environment or protecting it for future generations. Congratulations on POTD.
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 12:39:00 AM
Hi Tania, true comments, we live in a beautiful but fragile world showing signs of our neglect and lack of reverence. I guess all we can do is to keep banging the drum. Thankyou for reading the poem and offering yr kind words....Take care, Paul
Date: 11/17/2024 6:26:00 AM
- Congratulations on your wise p.o.t.d. Paul :) -
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 12:35:00 AM
So pleased to receive your note dear Anne-Lise...thankyou...I shall wear the badge of wisdom with pride. Regards, Paul
Date: 11/17/2024 1:19:00 AM
Congratulations on POTD. I also ponder.
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 12:31:00 AM
Do hope the pondering is not too painful...my poetry can be a bit chewy even for me. Thankyou so much Hilda for reading and commenting. Regards Paul
Date: 11/17/2024 1:06:00 AM
Thought provoking read Paul, plenty to ponder in your well composed verse. Congratulations to you on your well deserved honour of POTD. Tom
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 12:28:00 AM
Good to hear from you Tom...sincerely appreciate your kind words. Take care, Paul
Date: 11/17/2024 1:00:00 AM
Thoughtful and deep! Congratulations on your potd honor!
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 12:27:00 AM
Thankyou Karen for reading the poem and your congratulatory note...so kind. Cheers, Paul
Date: 11/15/2024 6:10:00 AM
Paul, you always dig a well deep enough for a reader to drown in when you write. I contemplate what shovel you use to excavate such thoughts in your mind and then simply give up that question and just enjoy where you take me. Shapes and forms, shadows and light forever changing in our lives, literally and figuratively. I'd sit at that river, hoping it's not a dream, but doubt I could tear myself away at the twilight hour. To me, that's one of two magical hours of change... dawn is the other.
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 12:24:00 AM
Ah but you do me a great honor my dear Lin for jumping in and trusting me...makes you special...I don't know myself sometimes where the exit is in my own mind maze. Agree with your feelings and love affair with dawn and sunset...so many of my poems use these magical times as the backdrop. Cheers dear friend...thanks for free falling into this poem. Paul
Date: 11/15/2024 4:15:00 AM
There it is in a nutshell Paul, what it means to be alive and conscious, we cannot really delve much further without diving into the spiritual realm, and other possibilities that they may or may not offer, (I tend to keep an open mind) my doubts somehow do act as hope, only by knowing everything will we ever be sure, but that would possibly make us the eternal creator, this is a beautifully crafted piece with imagery to match, all culminating with a nod towards Nietzsche’’s Eternal recurrence, a Fave from me too, will read many times (possibly already have) an infinite amount of times lol! cheers David
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Paul Willason
Date: 11/18/2024 12:18:00 AM
Having the poem so accurately mirrored back in your comments adds to my own understanding...often my poems come out of a thick cloud somewhere in the subconscious. Indeed value your insights and interpretation David, as always good stuff to chew on. The subject matter has the draw of a black hole for me...Cheers.

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