Poetry Month : Noticing 21 of 30
after how many years
do you fail to notice
the deepness of spring green;
the way the flowers parade,
crocus to daffodils,
hyacinths to tulips,
bud to leaf?
what happens
on the morning
you no longer
note the iridescence of the sky
as the sun ascends,
celebrate the chorus of birds
outside your window,
smile over the smell
of coffee brewing?
how many times
do you drive down a road
before you stop
paying attention
to the faces of those
who race past you
on the endless road
rushing from
here to there?
how many billboards
do you pass
before you stop reading,
stop caring
about what you might need,
where you should stop;
ignoring the messages
as they race by in a blur?
how many stories
do you hear
before you stop listening,
stop believing the words,
no longer wondering
what happened
or might happen next,
no longer feeling
the heaviness?
what does it mean
if you no longer notice?
© Cathy L. Mere, 2015
Today's Slice of Life
Today's poem was inspired as I was waiting in line at the local convenient store where I had stopped for a loaf of bread (and maybe a Dr. Pepper on crushed ice). A woman entered the store, and stopped in front of the counter carefully considering the candy. She spent much time staring at the chocolate bars, flavored candies, and sugary treats. Finally choosing a candy bar, she got into the line to pay.
Honesty, I have been ignoring this candy for years. There are so many choices I find it overwhelming. With rows and rows of candy on display you start to ignore the tempting treats as you pay to exit. It made me think about how many things are always around us. Between the material items on display everywhere go, the amount of information sent our way, and the volume of people, cars, and houses we see everyday, perhaps we begin to filter it all out. Does our desire to filter the unnecessary make us less likely to notice the important things around us? What happens when we no longer notice?
What a great poem! So many times I'm not in the moment that I fail to notice what is going on around me. That's when life becomes ho-hum and just about moving on from one task to another.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I'm always trying to get better at being "in the moment." It's something I continually have to work to improve.
DeleteYour poem captures that Power of Now--Very Eckart Tolle. I will go out and notice some things right now because, happily, I can!
ReplyDeleteThank you. I'm going to try to be a more careful to notice as well.
DeleteOh, Cathy, this poem is really brilliant. And it really resonates with me since I'm almost finished with the book, On Looking by Alexandra Horowitz. It speaks exactly to your question here: Why do we stop noticing? I recommend it if you're into nonfiction at all.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Dana. In truth, I am likely more of a nonfiction reader than a fiction reader so I am intrigued by your book recommendation. I have added it to my Shelfari account so I can check it out.
DeleteWhat a great poem.. Your words are so true.. As you get older and slow down, you have the time to notice even the fluttering of the leaves.. I think of mom and wonder when it was that she really began "not to notice" anymore...
ReplyDeleteI wrote about noticing today too, Cathy, but I think you did it much more eloquently. I hope we never stop noticing. I don't buy candy bars very much, but I do notice if there's one I've never seen. When you talk about being overwhelmed, I think that when I'm looking for crackers. There are so many kinds of cheezits, I can't believe it. Maybe we do need a filter sometimes. Thanks for making us think hard about this!
ReplyDeleteI think many of us are simply overwhelmed by life - so many responsibilities and so many things to note. But it's in those quiet moments of noticing that we often find chances to nourish our souls and come to rest - your poem is such a lovely reminder of that.
ReplyDeleteI think many of us are simply overwhelmed by life - so many responsibilities and so many things to note. But it's in those quiet moments of noticing that we often find chances to nourish our souls and come to rest - your poem is such a lovely reminder of that.
ReplyDeleteThis post was timely for me, as I just posted on the details of life myself, this Tuesday! Thanks for the reminders on what to look for in our day, those moments that help us breathe and sink in instead of struggling.
ReplyDeleteLove noticing your flair with words - "the way the flowers parade" - a lovely description of the path they take.
ReplyDelete