The Lapping Tide

Poet's Notes
(Show)

Become a Premium Member and post notes and photos about your poem like Matt Caliri.





This is nourishing, redemptive; we become less alone inside.
-David Foster Wallace 

Walking through a delirium,
I was tired.
The sand felt like purgatory,
A rising incline into a forever
That my mind numbed against.
I was awash of intentions, thought, even interest.
I had, in short, nothing left.

Then the pillars came into view.
As if begging for a story, a reason for being,
I was pulled, staggeringly, as if reeled from a
Fishing line to those salted gray walls,
The shards of church windows poking out of weathered frames.
What is that felt echo? St. Ignatius? The Archange? Michael? My brother?
I am so empty.

I sat down on the stone to rest the non-feeling.
The tide lapping into my mind.
I wanted none of it.
But there it was, anyway.
Persistent. Maddening. Life-giving.

*Matt Caliri
*The Church By The Ocean
*9/29/11

Copyright © | Year Posted 2011



Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 10/6/2011 10:28:00 PM
Enjoyed this deep write, Matt. Congratulations on your very fine win. Love, Annalise
Login to Reply
Date: 10/5/2011 9:37:00 PM
Congrats on your win, Matt! Kim
Login to Reply
Date: 10/5/2011 8:10:00 PM
A great entry. Congratulations Matt. Love, Joyce
Login to Reply
Date: 10/5/2011 5:21:00 PM
Congrats Matt on a wonderful exciting win in this contest with brilliant lines of poetic art luv..
Login to Reply
Date: 10/5/2011 10:45:00 AM
Nicely written Matt. Congratulations
Login to Reply
Date: 10/5/2011 8:27:00 AM
Not too shabby. Good for you.
Login to Reply
Date: 10/5/2011 5:41:00 AM
Matt-this is a true prize-winner here....so many great lines. My favorites are the sand feeling like purgatory...awash of intentions...the shards poking out of weathered frames...u painted with words to well, I felt as tho I was standing there feeling hopeless and yet beckoned by the echoes too. Superb...chilling spiritual write. Gwendolen
Login to Reply
Song Avatar
Gwendolen Song
Date: 10/5/2011 5:42:00 AM
*my spelling is horrid as I type faster than the brain will allow....*too well
Date: 10/4/2011 1:45:00 PM
Congratulations on your win Matt in "The Church By The Ocean" contest. Love, Carol
Login to Reply
Date: 9/30/2011 11:10:00 AM
Beautiful Matt, I am sending you a soupmail~~
Login to Reply
Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter