"Reach high, for stars lie hidden in you. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal."
Rabindranath Tagore
Soul seeks splendor, sweetly sent stream.
Destiny delivers drab dismal dream.
Dictating, dawn's dew delight.
Raptures reminisce rivalled respite.
Flowers forever freed.
Sycamore scents send somber seed.
Supreme silence, so softly swept.
I could have been updated
Like some computer system
Not terribly frustrated
At being a system’s victim
I take it as it comes
Like it supposed to be
What happens more than once
Compels you to agree
But anyhow it’s good
Just at this very moment
I never thought it should
Turn over to a torment
It was a pleasant day
Most of the time I slept
The heat dictates the way
How moments must be spent.
I hid beneath the Tree — in green —
A double Shade — of Thought —
The Bush — a lesser Sentinel —
Yet safer — than was sought —
The Wind — did whisper — through its leaves —
As if it knew — my Scheme —
To vanish — from the Human eye —
And dwell — within a Dream —
The Sparrow — perched — upon my Guilt —
And sang — as if aware —
That Souls — too frightened of the Sun —
Find Solace — in Despair —
No Mortal — came — to question Me —
The Sky — my only Guard —
I hid beneath the Tree — from Life —
And found — Myself — too hard —
Under the Tree of Life, I slept in profound and secret shade,
when the Holy Lord took pity and opened a window within,
with a deep wound that pierced my dream and slumber,
and in that moment, I lost you, my love, my blue light akin.
With my wounded eye, I gazed at you and knew you as a stranger,
holy as the Lord, far from me, far from all known lore,
now only in dreams and sleep, you are my source of light's wager,
now only in sleep and dreams, you arise as an unborn longing's core.
Source of harsh thoughts, now only in dreams do you abide,
now only in slumber do I find you, in secret, without end,
stranger and holy, like the Lord, in celestial abysses you reside,
now only in dreams and sleep, you are my unceasing yearning's trend.
You are the echo of a time that knows no boundary between dream and real,
a shadow dancing on the edge of a lost thought's seam,
and in deep slumber, I find you, an astral symbol surreal,
now, only in dream and sleep, my love, a silent yearning's theme.
a notch higher
above the head ovoid
grazing the crown chakra
a moist ethereal implant awakes
signalling embodiment of transcendence
within the aspect of consciousness immanent
the happenstance pleasantly occurring in the night
animates bliss fixated at the fontanel for an hour
somewhat like the hand of God on our head
wherefrom other nodes too imbibe grace
silently honing the Sahasrara portal
readying us for what’s to come
Found the abandoned misused tomb
Metallic and ancient it slept
Airstream trailer, silver bullet
I wandered the forest and wept
Found a rusted knife in the ash
Metallic and ancient it slept
A kitchen tool, left in the rain
It was just begging to be kept
Found a can of neon spray paint
Metallic and ancient it slept
I helped my siblings paint our barn
And at time’s end, away we crept
There was a shepherd who fell sound asleep
So there was no one to tend to his sheep
The sheep were delighted, freedom at last
Followed the leader and ran from the past.
Walking for miles over fields, hills and moor
The sheep were excited, as never before
Then came the sunset and the night grew dim
They began to feel that freedom was grim.
They became hungry, went searching for food
But couldn't find forage and became subdued
Unable to lie down, they couldn’t sleep
As they were pursued by some ghastly beasts.
Tired and weary the sheep so wished to be
Back in the flock and the hand of safety
They realised they need their shepherd's care
For love, food and shelter that's always there.
When the sheep had almost lost every hope
A familiar face came over the slopes
It was their shepherd and all ran with glee
To reunite with him, most thankfully.
They vowed they'd never run away again
Wasn't worth the havoc, sorrow or pain
Then the tired hungry sheep with baa-baa bleats
Thanked God for shepherds who watch o'er their fleece.
Love afore stept the Lord wept as He kept His oath
He slept for sixty years
then woke up with a start
For the life of him
he couldn’t tell things apart
Ghettos still all filled with blacks
War everywhere he turned
Young folks rioting in the streets
Property looted and burned
World ‘leaders’ puffing out their chests
threatening to detonate
Nuclear arsenals built to the hilt …
Make love, but don’t procreate …
So, the sleeper saw a doctor
and told him all his troubles
Doctor said, “Your eye exam
reveals you’re seeing double”
For children’s maw a woman slept,
When not, wage and daily bun slept.
In hope that at late last he’d come,
Windows, leaving doors open, slept.
The night, shadowy more than shy,
On spreading her dark omen, slept.
‘I need none whoso in all world’,
My pride, in death all undone, slept.
Dog-tired, enduring my burden,
Me all awake, my divan slept.
________________________________
Ghazal |05.12. 2023| sleep
Based on a Gujarati Ghazal by Mitra Rathod.
as we slept in
the dead of the
night, snow piled up
on the cold ground.
we woke up at
dawn to a white
cold rug of snow
to have fun on.
drips of wet froze
and hung from roof
tile as we feel
the nip of cold.
snow spades are dug
out of the shed
to clear the path,
we feel the cold.
soft snow does call.
with coats on we
go for a thrill
on the new sled
play time is done!
time to go in
to a warm fire,
and a hot drink.
twinkling
bright as diamonds,
moments spent with you.
as you caressed me
lovely minutes
f l e w,
nothing else
mattered.
it felt like
a fun vacation
when I did sleep
under your arms,
so soothing;
my worries
cast aside.
there's no
place like
home.
Diamond Of A Time Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Julia Ward
Date written: 05/23/2023
Even while we sleep...! Let's Press-on
Where did we go…while I slept?
what mountains and rivers…were leapt?
Through what tunnels did we travel...
leaving footprints upon unknown gravel?
What mysteries were revealed...
that You, in Your Wisdom...have concealed?
For, here I find myself awakened
with the drudge of yesterday…forsaken
Yet, so aware...that though I did dream…
there is nothing to remember, it seems
But You were there, Jehovah…in Your Silent Way
infusing with guidance unto another day
And now, duly revived and adept…
I do wonder, where did we go…while I slept?
I Watched While the World Slept
The simple minds are sleeping
On the threshold of the moon
While nocturnal wolves are weeping
None hear the barkers swoon
Darkness is uncertain
Most will never see The other side of the curtain
Yet I’m awake perpetually
Miles of asphalt vacant
It belongs to me
When the sun runs rampant
I let go reluctantly
Dying quasars gleaming
Exclusively for me
A million suns rotating
Under weight of gravity
A sleeping world doesn’t see
When my day has begun
Confined to solitary
I have become undone
The night belongs to me!
In regards to my last night's
previous thoughts
Following on from whence I
left off
After digesting relevant well
processed wise comments
What I negated to mention as
being unable to get from point
A through Z
Was I thought D as my metaphor
stood for Domino
You should use and apply the golden
D .F .S
Rule of thumb when it
comes to
U
What the D stood for in actual fact was
Dance
Be the 1st initial 1 to Step Up
And thereafter the
Rest are sure to Follow
Sub Categories
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.