meic

Apr 24, 2009 ⭐ View statistics (Premium feature)

OH TO BE LIGHTHEARTED

How could you think
a flirty passing fancy would
unlock my tied-up tongue?
or short-lived petty passion should
inspire this sorry song?

Ah, you should know that
many a fancy has passed close nigh
without a word to be remembered by
and not one passion, short or long,
has birthed a tune, still less a song.
………………………………………

I think that I should cultivate
an easier, lighter touch.
It may not satisfy, my love,
but cannot hurt so much.

But first I must remove my eyes,
my senses then dismiss,
and with the shrinking of the brain
I'll fade to endless bliss.

I'll chop up all my deeper thoughts
and lock up half my mind
I may be lost in ignorance
but ignorance is kind.

But will you have me thus, my love,
all smiles and full of cheer,
when my arms are aching for you
and I cannot hold you near.

— meic, Apr 24, 2009

Critiques

Nordic cloud

17 years 1 month ago

I like the poem as a poem

But the satisfaction of lust alone is not my style. If that's the type of desire you are talking about here? I suppose the pressures on a man are greater for such than for women. Good rhythm and rhyme, you are a Head Master(retired) and should manage that with your experience and with the writing of poetry through the years? Or not? I think you look like a kind HM and it would have been nice to go to your school. Yours Ann of Norway

meic

17 years 1 month ago

“the satisfaction of lust

"the satisfaction of lust alone is not my style" Nor mine, nor to be fair is it the style of the 'hero' of this poem. Indeed it is the woman in this case who wants to keep the relationship casual, the man wants it to deepen into a more meaningful and committed partnership. In the first stanza he is at pains to point out that his feelings are certainly not driven by petty passions or a short-lived fancy, and in the second he stresses that something as trivial as either of these would fail to stir him into song. The body of the poem is mostly concerned with the shallow restrictions on thoughts and feelings that her attitude to their relationship would bring ... indeed the only 'physical' reference he makes is only 'holding her near' On a general point I would never use my sex as an excuse for pressures or disposition ... if I have failings [or virtues, come to that] they are simply due to me. Thanks for giving me points to ponder, I enjoyed that! Me as Headmaster? You might like to glance at WE DON'T OFFER MIRACLES http://www.neopoet.com/node/5008 Mike "not all matterings of mind equal one violet" ~ e e cummings ~

Nordic cloud

17 years 1 month ago

Will look later

its 10.30 pm. so i shall have to turn in soon, I beg your pardon for having not studied your poem well enough to comment correctly, but it was nice to read your 'tilrettesettelse' 'torightsetting' in Norwegian, sometimes their complex words say a lot allinone ! Glad you enjoyed that. Yours Ann

meic

17 years 1 month ago

Thanks for the Norwegian

Thanks for the Norwegian lesson - what a useful word! Best regards Mike "not all matterings of mind equal one violet" ~ e e cummings ~

professor

17 years 1 month ago

I guess most of us have been

in a similar situation Mike and i cant say in my experience things ever changed although some fun was defintely had. Loved the poem though and its light touch. Reminded me a little of Andrew Marvells "To His Coy Mistress" although much much softer than his: "The grave's a fine and private place, But none I think do there embrace." BW Keith

meic

17 years 1 month ago

Three cheers indeed for the

Three cheers indeed for the fun of amourous dalliance! Thanks Keith - I'm glad it worked to a degree because I'm not too comfortable with rhymed verse. I remember the Marvell poem ["Had I but world enough and time," etc] but didn't make the connection until you mentioned it. Mike "not all matterings of mind equal one violet" ~ e e cummings ~

Kailashana

17 years 1 month ago

I have an ideal solution….

I have an ideal solution.... no one should ever get married again... we should all be lovers... marriage more often than not, kills the mystery of love. Or familiarity breeds contempt. But then again I have the privilege of knowing many who are/have been happily married, or in lasting partnerships for decades... Some of us only find momentary partners; does that make us floozies? lol. Enjoy your poetic musings as always, Meic. The yearning for *that* embrace is all-consuming, eh? ~A "The way you make love is the way God will be with you." Rumi

meic

17 years 1 month ago

“The yearning for that

"The yearning for *that* embrace is all-consuming, eh?" ... and I don't suppose it'll ever stop - with or without available floozies. Besides, I've been a floozy many times - being male doesn't disqualify me. Moreover, imho quality matters much more than longevity. Thank you so much. Mike "not all matterings of mind equal one violet" ~ e e cummings ~

Kailashana

17 years 1 month ago

“Moreover, imho quality

"Moreover, imho quality matters much more than longevity." We can write from the beginning till the end of time on that subject... yes? Much love Mike, and tally ho! be fearless! Time waits for no one. ;-) ~A "The way you make love is the way God will be with you." Rumi

meic

17 years 1 month ago

I wrote a reply … but it

I wrote a reply ... but it came out naughty, so I spanked it [lightly of course] and sent it to bed. I shall keep my ho thoroughly tallyed Mike "not all matterings of mind equal one violet" ~ e e cummings ~

Seren

17 years 1 month ago

He’s telling the woman

He's telling the woman that no matter what bit of skirt has passed him by .. They havnt turned his head .. He wishes he could forget her , exorcise her if you will ? to find a slice of love ... Did i read you right ? I hope so i adored this ... Love and Light JayC x x

meic

17 years 1 month ago

Glad you liked it, JayC …

Glad you liked it, JayC ... and your interpretation is spot on in all essentials. Thanks for your reading, your thought and your comment Hwyl fawr [cheers - Welsh] Mike "not all matterings of mind equal one violet" ~ e e cummings ~

Seren

17 years 1 month ago

Your most welcome the

Your most welcome the pleasure was all mine in the reading ... Love and Light JayC

faerybeki

17 years 1 month ago

Mike, I can’t help but

Mike, I can't help but bring my own experiences to my reading of your (or any) poem, i can see the man silencing himself, dumbing down if you like, losing part of himself in order to make the relationship work, sacrificing his intelligence perhaps? Funny how each of us will tinge a poem with our own meaning, this piece is beautifully written and allowed me to do that easily, great write :) much love b xx

meic

17 years 1 month ago

“Funny how each of us will

"Funny how each of us will tinge a poem with our own meaning" Certainly true [as is your take on the piece] and also what drives us, I suppose, to put our scribblings up for scrutiny. Thank you so much for your comment. Mike "not all matterings of mind equal one violet" ~ e e cummings ~

Cloudthings

17 years 1 month ago

liked the way it was put together it pushed around all sorts of

Hi, I thought I saw you in spotlight when I only had a moment & I'd come back to it, was it this one, I do like it a lot you know, I really do... Funny to read it from the male perspective, I thought it was always the man who resisted getting more deeply involved, how odd to hear it from the other way around. The point of course is, your poem was a gem, really liked the way it was put together, it pushed around all sorts of responses in my quite powerfully. By the way, I loved what you had to say on Ann of Norway's latest birthday/stones poem, lovely Anni ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "...We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? ... Your playing small doesn't serve the world..."

meic

17 years 1 month ago

Thank you for your

Thank you for your complimentary comments - I'm pleased to have excited your interest. The spotlight poem was POLAR ROSE 2, and was rather surprised to see it there. I think it very much depends on each man how much he buys into the 'typical male' stereotype ... certainly some are attracted to the 'normal image' and follow like sheep. Me... I much prefer to be the old 'billy goat gruff' planting my horns firmly behind any supposedly macho troll foolish enough to tell me how men should behave. Mike "not all matterings of mind equal one violet" ~ e e cummings ~

Cloudthings

17 years 1 month ago

Ah well, I don't leave comments I don't mean

Ah well, I don't leave comments I don't mean so it's a pleasure. I will look at Polar Rose 2. As for men, I don't know, I've never been one, & I tend to prefer those around me to me outside the expected "norm" in any case, so I have little real understanding of how they "should" behave... In the end there is only what works as I always say it isn't about right or wrong, unfortunately sometimes our hearts get attached before we realise that someone elses behaviour is not going to work so well for us. It's a bummer... May you heal speedily from this if you haven't already. Cheers Anni ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "...We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? ... Your playing small doesn't serve the world..."

themoonman

17 years 1 month ago

Mike...

I do so enjoy the way you write, this has a very tight rhyming scheme and unforced with a great flow of thought and expression... as far as the content, well, been there on both sides, it always surprises me when folks think men aren't capable of wanting the commitment, needing it in fact. we are all floozies, men and women... we are all attracted to the warmth of another and have thoughts of wiggling up in, just human nature... Richard

meic

17 years 1 month ago

Thanks, Richard. Very true

Thanks, Richard. Very true [re. content]. I hope we both manage many more 'happy wigglings! Mike "not all matterings of mind equal one violet" ~ e e cummings ~

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