Suits meet, banter about deals,
conspiratorial heads bent, deep
throaty laughs, confidence reeking.
I glide by, imperceptibly, am a whisper
on the window of their intensity.
Families congregate on front lawns,
squeals of delight trailing blurs,
adult murmurs lost in shrill echoes.
I float on by, an ethereal witness,
no more than the wisp of a cloud.
Only a dog, unleashed, catches
a whiff of something inexplicable,
gives chase, nips at nothingness.
I am elusive, lacking substance,
he retreats bewildered, interest lost.
Am I somehow flawed, I wonder
aloud to the gathering of females
draped across my bed, intrigued
Have landed now, solidly connected
to this other-abled reality, grounded.
Intimate discussions of life’s mystery
peaks interest, all want to learn to fly,
beg me to demonstrate, inspired to try.
Detachment is the secret, I reveal;
just launch yourself and release.
Instincts grasp to offer support,
arms reaching out in assistance,
roots hindering their deliverance.
Alone, I swirl above reeling minds
dissolve into the mist, am free.
(It’s poetics night at dVerse and our host, Gina, asks us to consider our poetic hum – what duality we lead. For three years, I lived an isolated, bedridden existence, while the rest of the world hummed along (pun intended). It was fertile ground for writing. The poem, Levitating, was written 3 years ago, and immediately came to mind when I read the prompt.)
I shared this to Go Dog Go Cafe for Pay it Forward Thursday. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Most welcome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Stunning piece. “Detachment is the secret, I reveal; just launch yourself and release.” – stellar lines as also noted by some of your commenters. Plus, the last two lines are a perfect finale.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Eugenia.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
Love this! And like so many others, “I glide by, imperceptibly, am a whisper / on the window of their intensity” really nailed me. Brings back some out of body memories from years ago when I did a lot of yoga…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you can relate, Lynne. Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this. Just love it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLike
“I glide by, imperceptibly, am a whisper
on the window of their intensity.”
Such beautiful, honest writing. Your isolation time must have been tough to get through. Good that thoughts were with you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Writing kept me going for sure. Thank you.
LikeLike
Beautiful piece.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Imelda.
LikeLike
I love this line, “am a whisper
on the window of their intensity.”
and enjoyed your poem.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Ali!
LikeLiked by 1 person
To be able to spread wings and soar above it all. I think that’s a good way of describing the absorption with words and the pictures they paint.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, could be. Thanks Jane.
LikeLike
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is a dichotomy here, in the strength of not willing to be constrained while being “flawed.” It shows that we are only as helpless as we allow ourselves to think we are.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting interpretation, Ken. Thank you for that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is intriguing, VJ. Sometimes our physical bodies burden us but our spirits want to soar!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The spirit always wants to soar. Thanks Lynn.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fantastic!❤️
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Some people just can’t set their soul free, ever clinging to an umbilical fear. Float on VJ. I really liked this…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Rob.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Reena Saxena.
LikeLike
This is well worth repeating! At first I thought the narrator was a ghost. The truth is more powerful. Jack London wrote a story about being in prison, in solitary confinement and astral projecting. A trick that narrator had time to learn and came to enjoy, never having been so free. This put me in mind of that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Interesting. The poem came out of a dream where I was doing just what I write about. Being confined to a bed, I realized, gave me an altered perception of life – I became ghost-like, unseen – a forced objectivity, if you like.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are strong to keep your poetic mind active and writing too. I really like this part and inspire me to just go for it:
Detachment is the secret, I reveal;
just launch yourself and release.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Grace. Sometimes we surprise even ourselves with our words – as does these lines. Good advice if only I too could follow them, lol.
LikeLike
These are my favorites:
“Only a dog, unleashed, catches
a whiff of something inexplicable,
gives chase, nips at nothingness.”
“Detachment is the secret, I reveal;
just launch yourself and release.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you. Hope you are feeling better.
LikeLike
I understood your poem perfectly V.J.. I’ve been there levitating, and you expressed it beautifully, and I especially liked this stanza
“Only a dog, unleashed, catches
a whiff of something inexplicable,
gives chase, nips at nothingness.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Animals know, don’t they!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Confined to bed, what mercy it is to levitate and free the mind to explore. Such a beautiful write. I also liked that “whisper on the window of intensity”. Thank you for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for your kind words Beverly
LikeLike
Nice lines: “I glide by, imperceptibly, am a whisper
on the window of their intensity.” It seem like that is what levitating would be all about.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Frank.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Those last two lines do it for me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like the form of this poem, V.J., which separates the two voices while at the same time bringing them together. For me, the suits and their bantering and throaty laughs, moved into the background and I heard the whisper in the foreground. I was never happy working in an office. I love the lines:
‘I glide by, imperceptibly, am a whisper
on the window of their intensity’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is stellar, thinking of how you traveled in your mind while staying in bed…. to be there and still not be, both invisible and invincible
LikeLiked by 1 person
definitely an altered reality – thanks Björn.
LikeLike
i love this one V.J! reminds of the strength Frida Kahlo had, you show the same, while the world hummed and maybe even screamed around you, you listened to a deeper voice. one that you remain true to till today, never compromising on what you are truly worth though you may have doubted yourself at times, often the duality or multiplicity of our life dilutes our true self you seem to conquer that. this was a beautiful description of your poetic hum.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are gracious, Gina. Perhaps my poetic self stays true – I am often hesitant and self-doubting otherwise.
LikeLiked by 1 person
that’s the duality of our nature I wanted poets to ponder upon, you say self-doubt, I on the other hand hide, behind words, under hats and secrets and lies. but through our writing we can trash all this out! your response was most honest and straight to the heart
LikeLiked by 1 person