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Awareness
by John Austin
her gaze is so constant,
our every move
watched
with such affection,
a ceaseless vigil
without condition
or agenda,
silent,
patient,
unrelenting in her
embrace.
There is endless room in
the heart of this lover,
infinite space for whatever
foolishness we may
toss her way.
But she is also
crafty, this one-
a thieft who will steal away
everything we ever cherished,
all our beliefs,
all our ideas,
all our philosophies,
until nothing is left
but her shimmering
wakefulness,
this simple love
for what is.
————————
This poem was sent to me and I cannot seem to track down the poet. I think the poem speaks to what happens to a man when a woman truly mesmerizes and enchants him: he is transformed, cleansed, reborn. I’m not sure this is what the Mr. Austin was trying to say, but such is the nature of art, that whatever the artist’s intent, we experience it through our own prism.
And yes, “thieft” is a word. Who knew?
xo, Angela
So much of an unattached man’s self image is his beliefs, philosophy, and ideas that when he needs to tell others who he is, he starts with those. ( I am pro or anti, this or that confession, I believe in blah etc)
Even attached, if not receptive to his being loved, these persist.
When well loved and when loving back, a man identifies with his lover first. She (or he, for man and woman are just roles) is his most important identifying trait.
And happily so.
(What a verbose way to say Ms Angela is right on target!)
It is no surprise that insightful Angela favors this poem. A heart-pounding, laser-focused passion is right up the alley of a complex romantic like her.
Believe Miss Angela hits the mark in her interpretation. As a devoted follower of her this is personally meaningful to me.