deepundergroundpoetry.com
With Eyes to See
Beyond the orange lid of my eyes
lies a summer sunrise
sticky as an egg yoke
ready to burst
The mountain’s silhouette
becomes outlined in neon red
Across this distant room
my cat purrs
In her dreams
she is once again Egyptian
a goddess worshiped
by thin fingers of light
through the window
stroking her calico fur
Outside, a cacophony of birds
break the stillness
I know each voice by heart
Squirrels scold one another
while spiraling around
the old pin oak
and the neighbor’s fan belt
squeals as it’s forced to move
through the neighborhood
Much like my body
creaking as a stairwell
that may fall through
any given moment
This is the fingerprint
of daily aging
the physicality of wearing out
and losing value
After years of waking
imagery becomes embossed
as braille across the heart
The daily story of us
is a shroud of experience
filled with light and debris
Without any further need
to open our eyes to see
lies a summer sunrise
sticky as an egg yoke
ready to burst
The mountain’s silhouette
becomes outlined in neon red
Across this distant room
my cat purrs
In her dreams
she is once again Egyptian
a goddess worshiped
by thin fingers of light
through the window
stroking her calico fur
Outside, a cacophony of birds
break the stillness
I know each voice by heart
Squirrels scold one another
while spiraling around
the old pin oak
and the neighbor’s fan belt
squeals as it’s forced to move
through the neighborhood
Much like my body
creaking as a stairwell
that may fall through
any given moment
This is the fingerprint
of daily aging
the physicality of wearing out
and losing value
After years of waking
imagery becomes embossed
as braille across the heart
The daily story of us
is a shroud of experience
filled with light and debris
Without any further need
to open our eyes to see
Written by
Ahavati
(Tams)
Published 10th Jun 2024
Author's Note
For Indie's 'tell me about your morning' comp
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
likes 18
reading list entries 9
comments 31
reads 584
Commenting Preference:
The author encourages honest critique.
Re. With Eyes to See
10th Jun 2024 3:29am
Dear A,
There’s much to admire here. I so enjoyed the your depiction of life and nature around you. It’s these little bits of people that allow us a peek
inside and know we’re all similar and those similarities far outnumber the differences. That’s what I think is so magical about your write. I wish you all the best this comp. H🌷
There’s much to admire here. I so enjoyed the your depiction of life and nature around you. It’s these little bits of people that allow us a peek
inside and know we’re all similar and those similarities far outnumber the differences. That’s what I think is so magical about your write. I wish you all the best this comp. H🌷
1
Re: Re. With Eyes to See
10th Jun 2024 9:51pm
Thanks so much, Honoria. I appreciate the RL honor as well as your thoughtful comments. xo
Re. With Eyes to See
Re: Re. With Eyes to See
10th Jun 2024 9:52pm
Re. With Eyes to See
10th Jun 2024 2:20pm
Re: Re. With Eyes to See
10th Jun 2024 9:52pm
Re. With Eyes to See
10th Jun 2024 4:59pm
Sigh...I wish my bones didn't agree so wholeheartedly with this. Even my calico saw the reality in this one 😂
1
Re: Re. With Eyes to See
10th Jun 2024 9:53pm
Thank you, Willow, and for the RL honor. Ah! So you have a Calico too! I love them. They are like spare parts cats created with all the leftovers from other cats. xo
Re: Re. With Eyes to See
11th Jun 2024 1:23pm
Her picture is up with my '2 chonks & a granny.' I call her my showgirl! 😂
0
Re. With Eyes to See
12th Jun 2024 1:59am
"Braille across the heart"
Nice line!
This is a great, solid poem that would fit in any book of poems out there.
Well written, Ahavati.
Nice line!
This is a great, solid poem that would fit in any book of poems out there.
Well written, Ahavati.
1
Re: Re. With Eyes to See
12th Jun 2024 12:54pm
Thank you, Styxian. I lie in bed in the morning and never have to open my eyes to see the world. I think that's a beautiful thing about aging.
Thank you also for the RL honor, it's deeply appreciated.
Thank you also for the RL honor, it's deeply appreciated.
Re. With Eyes to See
12th Jun 2024 11:02am
What a great entry, the imagery is simply amazing. The part about your calico cat made me smile, cats have such epic personalities, each their own own, and often huge ones :-D
1
Re: Re. With Eyes to See
12th Jun 2024 12:55pm
Thank you, Duende! Kali ( named after the goddess Kali ) is a force to be reckoned with! But listening to her purr in her dreams is soothing. xo
Re. With Eyes to See
12th Jun 2024 4:27pm
To paint such a serene picture of nature the wonders of life...
This is such a great ink
This is such a great ink
1
Anonymous
- Edited 31st Jul 2024 7:45pm
18th Jun 2024 6:35pm
<< post removed >>
Re: Re. With Eyes to See
18th Jun 2024 6:41pm
Thank you, Zelle_mirna. I haven't seen you before, so welcome to the Deep Side. :-)
Anonymous
- Edited 31st Jul 2024 7:45pm
18th Jun 2024 8:04pm
<< post removed >>
Re. With Eyes to See
19th Jun 2024 7:35pm
It feels quite epic. The choice of vocabulary and sentence/phrases really builds up a sense of grandeur, plus element of storyteller.
1
Re: Re. With Eyes to See
19th Jun 2024 7:47pm
Thank you, Lozzamus! As a talented writer, I deeply appreciate your observations.
Re. With Eyes to See
23rd Jun 2024 11:26pm
You opened and I threw a fit. Holy shot! Sticky as an egg yolk was such a boss move. I fell in love with your first stanza and forgot to move on for a long moment.
You make magic here as you describe the big picture of the mountains and then narrow the camera lens to the dreams of your cat. You are making a mental film here more than a poem and I’m here for it.
“Across this distant room
my cat purrs
In her dreams
she is once again Egyptian
a goddess worshiped
by thin fingers of light
through the window
stroking her calico fur “
Thin fingers of light… stroking her fur?! It’s so good! I’m pissed I’ve never written about my cat like this.
You connect back outside…
I know each voice by heart
I love this so much. The acknowledgment that we devalue humans like we do cars, as soon as the shine wears off we don’t want them.
“This is the fingerprint
of daily aging
the physicality of wearing out
and losing value”
And this is such a big closing:
“Without any further need
to open our eyes to see”
You didn’t wake up, you rode a drone through your eyes and brought the reader with you. You started with you, went outside of your home, came back to your yard, came back to your innerself and closed your travels with wisdom
So. Good.
1
Re: Re. With Eyes to See
24th Jun 2024 1:18am
I absolutely LOVE your replies, Betty. They are as if not MORE poetic than the freaking poems. I always had a sneaking suspicion that you were a Gemini because of your intellect ( Mercury ) and ability to weave words into stunning tapestries of verbal art!
I love you, my friend. XO
I love you, my friend. XO
Re. With Eyes to See
17th Jul 2024 4:38am
You never ever disapoint Ahavati.
Not sure how I can ever follw the words of Betty. Her brillance is to be highly admired as you have said here so honeslty.
I found this writing vivid and chalk full of imaginary and realistic imagery. You truly are a master of words, I am humble and take my hat off to you, absolutely brilliant!
Jackie 👍🏻
Right out the gate you invite the reader in—
Beyond the orange lid of my eyes
lies a summer sunrise
sticky as an egg yoke
ready to burst
Wow and wow some more.
I see and feel all of this like a painting.
Not sure how I can ever follw the words of Betty. Her brillance is to be highly admired as you have said here so honeslty.
I found this writing vivid and chalk full of imaginary and realistic imagery. You truly are a master of words, I am humble and take my hat off to you, absolutely brilliant!
Jackie 👍🏻
Right out the gate you invite the reader in—
Beyond the orange lid of my eyes
lies a summer sunrise
sticky as an egg yoke
ready to burst
Wow and wow some more.
I see and feel all of this like a painting.
1
Re: Re. With Eyes to See
17th Jul 2024 4:07pm
Thank you, Jackie! I truly appreciate your perspective and have been thinking of you and hoping you are well of late?
xo
xo
Re: Re. With Eyes to See
17th Jul 2024 4:31pm
Re. With Eyes to See
8th Aug 2024 7:36pm
Re: Re. With Eyes to See
8th Aug 2024 7:37pm
Re. With Eyes to See
26th Aug 2024 3:53pm
"This is the fingerprint
of daily aging
the physicality of wearing out"
Dealing with the acceptance that times gives us the wrinkles, weight and a long list of ailments, it was hard for me a first to accept that I could no longer run the distances or spring up out of bed suddenly without pulling something that I had to start laughing at myself a bit.
Wonderful work.
of daily aging
the physicality of wearing out"
Dealing with the acceptance that times gives us the wrinkles, weight and a long list of ailments, it was hard for me a first to accept that I could no longer run the distances or spring up out of bed suddenly without pulling something that I had to start laughing at myself a bit.
Wonderful work.
1
Re: Re. With Eyes to See
27th Aug 2024 2:21am
Isn't that the truth, Wally. I have lived such a blessed life I have no complaints nor regrets for those things that have made me me.
Thank you.
Thank you.