I Had Forgotten How to Live – a poem

Bird

“Bird” by CollegeRocker is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

 

I Had Forgotten How to Live

By Jane Tawel

March 12, 2020

*

 

I had, too long, forgotten how to live.

And letting Time control my thoughts,

And taking more than I could give,

I had forgotten what I aught

pay heed to more than I should not.

*

 

And then one day while waiting

And slow-drip coffee, hating,

I stood beside my own back door

And heard a bird song, me, implore,

to stop and listen, look, and find,

because to beauty, I’d been blind.

*

 

There, just there, in my back yard,

Were little birds, like crossing guards,

Directing me to safety in,

The joy that could be found within,

The world at large, and lives at small,

If I would simply sense it all.

*

 

I think I hadn’t really lived,

Or taken time to sense and breathe,

Not since I was a little kid,

And for lost years, I now did grieve.

But rather than waste one more day,

Determined I to savor,

To listen well, and learn to play,

And find a Mother’s favor.

*

 

Oh, I’d forgotten how to hear,

And how to truly see.

But though I wasted life and love,

Life still believed in me.

*

Published by

Jane Tawel

Still not old enough to know better. I root around and explore ideas in philosophy, spirituality, poetry, Judeo-Christian Worldview, family, relationships, and art. Often torn between encouragement & self-directed chastisement, I may sputter, but I still keep trying to move forward.

16 thoughts on “I Had Forgotten How to Live – a poem”

  4. Chinaman Creek: Thank you so much for reading and commenting. The last line was actually a little hard to write, since I so often do not believe that in my shallow insecurities. I am glad you liked it. Jane

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    1. Oh, man, thank you, that is humbling coming from you. As I have told you, I continue to both delight in your posts, your abilities, and your “rock this world” renaissance thinking. Thanks for reading and commenting.

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  7. Beautiful & so relatable . There are days I feel alive & some days , I can’t remember nor appreciate . Seeing the beauty around us especially in the midst of fear & chaos takes intentional effort & mindset. So yes, would like to see, listen, feel more. Thank you.

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    1. Island Traveler: Thank you so much for taking the time to read and comment in such an encouraging way. I feel with your comment the idea that we truly do each have support around the world, of people we may not know in person, but who support the same worldview. Thank you for encouraging me today to keep at it! Jane

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  8. Nature definitely has that effect on people. An inspiring poem Jane, made me take a calming breath in these troubling times. My mind does not conjure up poetry, but I am a fan of Emily Dickensen and admire how she was wrapped in her poetry, isolated and looking out the window at nature.

    Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

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    1. Yes lensdailydiary — Emily Dickinson is and has been for long a huge inspiration, goad, and puzzling sage for me. One of my favorites of hers is one I meditate on often — “Hope is the Thing With Feathers” — always something new to find it in. Recently (after memorizing it a while back and teaching it for years), I got new insight in this time of CV 19 into her first profound line, “Hope is the thing with feather that perches in the soul.” This perching in the soul, means hope is inside our very souls, residing there, not something we seek or work on. Intriguing, no? And I love your verse — one of my favorites to meditate on. Shalom today as you shelter from life’s storms. Jane

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