Now Begin: A Poetic Memory and Present Recollection.

It was October, 1999 when I wrote this poem. I am sharing it as a part of a Saturday Celebration with One Stop Poetry.

It actually wrote itself. I was looking over the Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica. I had just been through a four hour ordeal/doctor's appointment. It was a Workman's Comp appointment with a Psychiatrist to determine whether or not my job made me loopy or if I was loopy anyway.

As I looked over the ocean I realized I didn't care what the Psychiatrist said, I knew what was true. And I knew I had found what was true.

This passionately scribed poem is still so earnest ~ I love the naive person I was when I wrote it.

(and it is still so true. And I love the slightly less naive person I am now.)

Thank you, One Stop Poetry - for the memory.

 Photo courtesy of Flickr Artist UGB

Now Begin

Take away the degrees, titles, accomplishments -
 What is discovered at your core?
What is it that unique, special spark?
Buried deep, neglected, chosen to ignore

Seeking to please whomever
Drowning out pure longings of your heart
Struggling, freezing, suffocating
Until finally, you choose to start

Whispers from the spirit
Soul's songs from deep within
After dancing, stranger among strangers,
Claim it! Your life! Now begin!

And the PS is the Psychiatrist found it WAS my workplace that contributed to my loopiness. He gave me what I called "His Robert Frost speech"... because it was reminded me of The Road Not Taken. "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood".... I have never regretted leaving my former career, I consider the experience a gift to who I am now... the woman you see stepping into the cold river, fully clothed... something no one else had considered in my group but that I absolutely had to do.  

"Claim it, your life, now begin...."

River photo credit: Michelle Guerrero, an awesome photographer friend of mine, based in Tehachapi, California and willing to travel for the right shoot. :-)

 

Comments

[Shah Wharton]

Wow - this could be me! Its one of the things I love about good writing: it surpasses boundaries of individuality and joins the readers together in an indisputable connection. Psychiatry has been by burden and saviour through my life. I live now, I found that I mostly struggled before. I really enjoyed this poem.

I'm here from onestoppoery btw. Im new there. Good to meet you. Shah .X

[Rinkly Rimes]

Glibbly it's called 'finding oneself', And I'm glad you did.

[pete marshall]

i just said on another poem that today will lead to a day or reflection..reading your story here certainly touched me too...the story behind and the words of the verse most definitely were close to home...wonderfully written and i loved the rhyme..thanks for sharing pete

[Ann]

Life is always a struggle somewhere along the way. I hope your life has gotten better over the years.

[Michele Brenton aka banana_the_poet]

I liked this poem a lot. The story behind it is inspiring and the photos are well chosen to complement its simple truth.

[Ramesh Sood]

Yes finally to choose the start.. this is essence of living.. do have a look at my post two.. at One Stop Poetry..

[Kodjo Deynoo]

Now begin, great write, really enjoyed reading this