i stopped having tea last month but have had
a lapse only once, I am cutting down on caffeine,
on sugar, on white carbs, on the world I see,
a capricious mood is hanging on my window,
dry flowers stuck to the shade, coloring the sun
that makes its way in, I don’t feel but smell warmth
tingling my nostrils, I sneeze out despair and
set up a guest room for the spring to rest and stay.
flames flicker on my skin, I don’t mind being burnt
by the season that lasts but as long as I close my
dry, lifeless palms, a few rhetoric seconds of delay.
i stopped being stopped for a day, and it felt strange
and yet not in a positive way, the birds shall fly
to the lands new, talk to strangers familiar, I stay.
.
For dVerse Poetics, where we are writing to the art of Danny Gregory.
I am on Instagram. You can find me at mypeculiarself.
Getting caffeine in coffee rather than tea, I find myself more and more enjoying herbal teas which have no caffeine…but cutting out caffeine entirely would be hard. And, hey, lapsing only once with the caffeine is definitely not bad!
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oy, i dont think i could give up coffee…but it requires sacrifice…most things do….and to me this is more about that….putting the palms together in pause is like prayer…the contrast between the birds and yourself there in the end gave me pause to think…
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Your words convey a reflective but sad mood. In excess anything can be ‘bad’ but enjoying the things of life brings pleasure too. Do not be too harsh on yourself!
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for me the focus was on the staying while the birds fly… the cutting back on things that may be not good… it needs wisdom to decide – and for everyone it can be different…
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Oh I really loved reading this. I think it is my fave of yours so far. I loved setting up a guest room for spring and, especially, the closing lines……”the birds shall fly…..I stay”. Cool write!
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This is beautiful. It captured me and took me to a place of detachment, of contemplation. I sometimes not only give up some type of food, but I give up the world too – a little time to refuse its toxins. Your ending made me think, made me a little sad.
Your writing is superb. Thanks.
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I feel almost sinful as I sit here, enjoying my morning coffee while I read this. I think on the last lines of that song, Somewhere Over the Rainbow….birds fly…why oh why can’t I? The birds fly, you stay. Fixing up the room for spring for spring….a very wistful poem, a lot of longing. This was an excellent write.
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I like the capture of detachment when you cut off some food and drinks from your diet ~ Hope it brings the positive impact that you are looking for ~ I specially like this part:
set up a guest room for the spring to rest and stay.
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Something Spartan, touching on Zen to deny yourself, reduce your intake, become detached, slowed down, meditative; philosophically, when we slow our heart beat, we do watch the world around us speeding up, blurring, fading; nice piece, Anmol; one of your best. I like the lines /I don feel but smell warmth/tingling my nostrils/.
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This is so very contemplative and nice.. definitely how it would feel when all slows down around us.. To stay while the world is flying past. This is a piece to read many times. Very slowly. A wonderful piece Anmol.
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At least spring is staying in your guest room ….
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This is a wonderful flight of fancy. Each stanza stands on its own as a poetic image. My favorite–the second. Great details.
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I like the whole image of setting up a guest room for spring. I think it would be nice to have spring come for a long visit. The second stanza really is filled with some powerful images. I wanted to smell the warmth.
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Yes, yes – I’ve been cutting down on sugar and white carbs as well…. amazed with result so far… it really makes you think about how bad sugar really is for you…
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Very cool…. I am not ready to give up caffeine. 🙂
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I got a sad mood here….but a kind of cool withdrawal and survival too….nice take!!
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Feels good strategy here…to get something – we need prepare space for it. And step back – to understand, to feel again, where do we need pay attention to…the lighter we are the clearer the little voice within….I’m going to read your poem again…
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Caffeine with all of its adverse effects can be a challenge to many! Some may not easily give up! Great lines HA!
Hank
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There is something very special about your style of writing. An exquisite anecdote is what comes to mind.
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Ah, this is good. This is very good. I loved it. 🙂
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