Thursday 18 January 2007

Oblivious

We are prisoners in our smart suburban houses,
our chic city apartments,
yet think we are free.

We ignore the cries of the lost and the poor,
the laments of the dying
wilderness.

We don’t listen to the gathering thunder,
the growling sounds
from underground.

We don’t see the towering walls
of debris and water
hanging over us.

We will awake too late
to begin scouring
paths of escape.


Thanks to Jemima for letting me use the line 'scouring paths of escape' from her excellent poem: Big Come Down.

Poetry Thursday

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Scary poem Crafty. True, but very scary.

Rose

Rethabile said...

I agree with dewyknickers. Nice, Crafty.

White Square said...

A powerful poem that makes us see the obvious but yet not obvious in our lives...
Cheers!

Carol (a.k.a. Lady Wordsmith) said...

I love the closing stanza - the way it's first line suns the whole of the poem. Finely crafted. Despite the sad point of the subject - I enjoyed this.

Deb said...

I always appreciate your POV, Juliet.

There is also a physical structure to the poem I like, how it trails from "big" to "small" lines, which, to me, are effectively coupled with your use of tense--present to future. It crafts your message so well.

rel said...

Juliet,
Beginning, middle, and end. Telling the unpleasant truth to the blind. I like the way this sounds when I say it aloud.
rel

Jen Rouse said...

I borrowed your line for my poem. Thank you!

Catherine said...

Very well done. I was going to say "lovely", but it is a little too dark to be "lovely". Perhaps "powerful" is a better word.

Pauline said...

Spot on! We will indeed be too late to scour paths of escape. A very perceptive piece of writing...

Unknown said...

Oh Crafty - love your poem: the execution AND the content, very much...I feel that feeling that our world is not quite right every day - it is a struggle to know and feel that, yet still live in a city! I am going to recommend you read The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan - it's helping me articulate these feelings more every day...Excellent poem....thank you!

Mimey said...

Adoring this!

There is no such thing as society, except when there is. I am not my beautiful apartment...

Anonymous said...

A great reminder that perspective is reality! A real thinker, this one.

twilightspider said...

I totally agree with ......deb, the structure lends further power to your wonderful words. If only the message could be heeded...

Emily said...

I really agree with your perspective on this...really like your first two stanzas. I really enjoyed this

Jim Brock said...

I'm afraid I know this kind of dread a little too well--it reminds me how poetry saves us because it exposes what we'd prefer to ignore.

Unknown said...

I especially like the last stanza. Somehow it reminds me of TS Eliot.
"We have lingered in the chambers of the sea
By sea-girls wreathed with seaweed red and brown
Till human voices wake us, and we drown."

Alessandra Cave said...

Well done! I like writings like this because it is just so different from what I can do. And I'm with Deb, I appreciate your pov!

Anonymous said...

Wow. Powerful poem. I also borrowed your words for my poem, Call Me Destructive. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, that link didn't work... Call Me Destructive. Thanks again.

Anonymous said...

The urgency of your words leaped from the page.

Anonymous said...

Right on. I love the structure; it echoes the message of the poem well, I think.

gautami tripathy said...

How we choose to ignore the obvious! Thanks for stopping by. I agree, the same lines take is in divergent direction.

Karen Travels said...

I really like this. Simple, yet moving!!

Karen

Anonymous said...

I found your opening lines particularly captivating

Crafty Green Poet said...

HI there and thanks for all your comments.

Jemima - thanks for the line that inspired this!

Jen and R's Musings - delighted you chose my line to use in your poems, I enjoyed reading where you took it!

Poet with a Day Job - thanks for the book recommendation - I'll look that one out!

Sarala - my words remind you of T S Eliot - wow! Thanks!

January said...

A cautionary tale, and a great read. Nice poem.

writerwoman said...

I like the way you made a serious subject poetic. My favorite image was the section that spoke of growling sounds from the underground.