Thursday, September 4, 2014

BECOMING REAL

"What is REAL?" Asked the Rabbit one day.
"Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse."
"It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves
you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit."

"Sometimes."

"Does it happen all at once,
...or does it happen bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once, ...you become. It takes a long time.

Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."

Ecxerpts from "The Velveteen Rabbit" by Margery Williams Bianco.




                               My grandkids




Birthday's coming up.
I pretend not to care, but alone
I see my life imprinted everywhere
on my body, falling, a burnt out star.

"I'm not afraid of death," I lie to myself
remembering past, when I thought
I was too small, frail, terrified
to have strength required for child birth.
Yet, somehow I did.
Nature's lessons are experiential.
So, I'll learn to die,
the way I learned to live.

I believe in simplicity.
But I don't live it.
My house full of stuff.
My mind full of complexities.
My thoughts worry for this world,
then contradict with hope for its survival.
I try to be the peace,
but am aware of others' suffering,
and I wonder
                   if all the evils I see,
                   exist somewhere in me.
                 
Some things I don't simply believe,
I know
about love, compassion,
more than I used to.

I savor life.
It tastes different now, less spicy
but so flavorful. Most days sprinkled,
not with sugar, but with sparkling water clarifying
what's Real
in me.




(Submitted to Dverse Poets.)






20 comments:

  1. there's some nice wisdom in this... i too think that it is a process to become real... the loss of fear and the learning about what really is important in life... it's a long way but real people are so attractive for others - and i always found that you are real and honest myrna

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  2. Myrna, love what you express here.. the layers the complexity.. life has it's changes.. it evolves... This prompt is amazing in all the honesty and depth it brings forth.

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  3. A powerful, heartfelt, emotional write, Myrna, with both of our poetic mind/souls hovering over similar ground. I smile sadly at some of it, but the prologue from THE VELVETEEN RABBIT sets the sweet tone; sweet & sour, yin & yang. Do we become "Real" in just one lifetime? I wonder. I liked your lines /so I learn to die/the way I learned to live. Hey, I may be #1.

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  4. there are def things you just know about love and compassion...i love the velveteen rabbit too...so the excerpt from it was awesome.....in the process of becoming real...its a shame it takes us so long to get there...at times....

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  5. So, I'll learn to die,
    the way I learned to live... that is an incredible line. I find it pretty obvious
    that the more a person has lived, the more content they are with death;
    when your time on this earth is coming closer to an end, having mostly just existed, you fear it more...

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  6. Savouring life is a wonderful approach.
    I believe (hope) that death when it comes will be as natural as breathing.

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  7. Deeply expressed and deeply felt, Myrna. Today we each stood there with most of life scattered about us like fallen leaves. Beautiful, blazing leaves.

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  8. Lovely reflections Myrna ~ I like the graceful acceptance of life's bounty like love and compassion ~ This part really struck me:

    and I wonder
    if all the evils I see,
    exist somewhere in me.

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  9. Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them - that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.
    ~Lao Tzu


    I love your poem and the way you think. Awesome!

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  10. This is profound, Myrna. I guess one can learn to die as one learns to live. Sadly enough, I guess if we don't learn it will happen anyway. I do like the idea of savoring life now. I think this is something we learn with the living. Each day is important and has its own flavor.

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  11. Okay, this is one of my favorites of yours, Myrna.....I especially love "So I'll learn to die the way I learned to live." That is what we do. I have read we die the way we lived........I especially love the water "clarifying what's real in me." Wowzers! What a poem! And what beautiful grandbabies you have! I hope you have a wonderful birthday and are well content with the year behind you and the one on its way.

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  12. I think you are real because you love. That's a good thing to be rich in, I felt it in the poem.

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  13. why don't we talk about death... you made it sound so easy... lovely write... thanks for sharing from the heart

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  14. "So, I'll learn to die, the way I learned to live." and the "evil" line is profound. Honest, heartfelt, pondering, tender yet truthful even if it is not what one wants to hear… I'd say you really "get" Rilke's style. Well done.

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  15. This is a beautiful poem of "being" and "becoming"...truthful, wise and deeply touching ...ah so sweet and cute grand kids Myrna...god bless...

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  16. Heartfelt and most touching - lovely write.

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  17. Great life and many changes throughout. I like your descriptions of the evolution and grace we need to get through them. Maybe we cannot see them.

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  18. A very interesting poetic conversation - loved every bit of it...

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  19. "I pretend not to care, but alone
    I see my life imprinted everywhere"


    "I savor life.
    It tastes different now, less spicy
    but so flavorful."

    Soulful words - that touched me - and I wanted to say sorry, I didn't read your complete piece first time, some problem with my scroll perhaps. Have a good weekend.

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  20. Your grandchildren are adorable!

    Your poem speaks to my heart as I get older!

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