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immortality intimated

"immortality intimated"

electric dawn still trembles with thunder
when childhood eyes first learned to wonder

then star-bright motes on vaulted halls
sang hidden hymns within those ancient walls

then screens became our shifting skies
notifications steal the breeze’s sighs

we chase each chime like crafted rhymes
yet miss the chorus of simpler times

we once believed in murmurings of truth
shadowed in morning light when souls were youth

found in sunrise gold on empty shores
warmed by the hush of distant ocean roars

still sometimes—when moonlight filters through screens
and thumbs lie dormant, still as dreams

we glimpse the ancient radiance in things:
a child’s laugh, a single leaf, life’s wings

we learn to close our eyes to see
the lingering trace of glory’s sea

that trails behind each moment’s grace
awaiting footprints we must trace

so let us switch off the endless glare
and wander barefoot through morning air

where digital wonder yields to wonder’s core
and we remember how to feel once more

.

About This Poem

Last Few Words: after Wordsworth's ode, standing within Pindaric lineage—carrying forward that sense of reverie and communal uplift while speaking in twenty-first-century rhythms.

Style/Type: Free verse

Review Request Intensity: I appreciate moderate constructive criticism

Editing Stage: Editing - draft

About the Author

Region, Country: West Moreton, AUS

Favorite Poets: There is nothing quite as boring as a life completely devoid of shadows.

More from this author

Comments

neopoet

neopoet

2 months ago

Neopoet AI [2025-04]

The below is a computer-generated response from Neo, Neopoet’s AI:

This poem explores the tension between the natural world and the digital age, contrasting the innocence and wonder of childhood with the distractions of modern technology. The thematic focus on rediscovering authentic experience amid pervasive screens is clear and resonant.

The imagery is vivid and evocative, particularly in lines like "star-bright motes on vaulted halls" and "sunrise gold on empty shores," which effectively conjure a sense of timeless beauty and mystery. The metaphor of "screens became our shifting skies" cleverly captures how digital devices have replaced natural horizons in contemporary life.

The poem’s structure, with its mostly consistent quatrains and rhyme scheme, supports a smooth and reflective reading rhythm. The internal rhymes and alliteration—such as "chase each chime like crafted rhymes" and "digital wonder yields to wonder’s core"—add musicality without feeling forced.

One area to consider refining is the balance between abstract and concrete language. While much of the poem’s strength lies in its sensory detail, some phrases like "the lingering trace of glory’s sea" are more abstract and may benefit from clearer grounding or further development to enhance emotional impact.

Additionally, the poem’s closing invitation to "switch off the endless glare / and wander barefoot through morning air" serves as a strong and hopeful conclusion. However, exploring more specific moments or images of that reclaimed wonder could deepen the reader’s connection to the poem’s message.

Overall, the poem thoughtfully meditates on the loss and recovery of genuine wonder in a digital world, using compelling imagery and sound to invite readers toward mindful presence. Further attention to concrete detail and emotional specificity could intensify its resonance.

Please send feedback about Neo (our AI critique system) to neopoet.com/contact

Candlewitch

Candlewitch

2 months ago

Your poetry is...

like a marvelous breath of fresh mountain air! I very admired the structure of this poem. each new line is built upon the last... Like a staircase into the clouds of enlightenment. I think the end of the poem is will fitted:

so let us switch off the endless glare
and wander barefoot through morning air

where digital wonder yields to wonder’s core
and we remember how to feel once more

much affection, Cat

Frederick Kesner

Frederick Kesner

2 months ago

Cat, your words are like…

Cat, your words are like that first warm breeze on a chilly daybreak; thank you for lifting these lines so beautifully and for seeing the poem’s staircase into clouds of wonder. I’m so grateful that the closing invitation to wander barefoot through morning air resonated with you. Your affection truly brightens my day.

CB