Who, What, When, Where and Why?

Question

Who am I? That I feel some sense of entitlement.
Like the world was created just for me.
Field and forest. Water and sky.
Resentment at the intrusion of others into my solitude.

What is it? This unknown and unknowable desire.
This forever longing.
A burning ache. An unhealed wound.
Constantly itching, wanting to be scratched and picked at.

When is the moment? That contentment steals upon the soul.
Calming the restless spirit
The jangling nerves. The malaise of the mind.
The constant longing for a peaceful surcease on the path to oblivion.

Where is nirvana? The acquiescence to inevitability.
The acceptance of futility.
Aspirations dimmed. Dreams buried.
A lone bit of flotsam in the homogenous soup of mankind
.
Why must it be like this? A strange lack of fulfillment
A sensation of being cheated.
Thwarted by time. Senses stifled.
Thoughts of the mundane crowding out the sublime.

Answer 1

Wow, you don't ask for much do you. Entitlement is personalization for something we can not perceive a person to hold culpable. Unknowable desire? The Will to power. When is the moment? Perhaps if you could answer what is 'moment', then you could describe what a 'peaceful surcease on the path to oblivion' is in objectivity. Certainly dreamless sleep, being the best I have ever known of peace, and of waking from it. Nirvana is in the intuition that death heals all pain. I think I shall save the best for last.

"Why must it be like this? A strange lack of fulfillment
A sensation of being cheated.
Thwarted by time. Senses stifled.
Thoughts of the mundane crowding out the sublime."

If you could answer HOW could it be like this, you would give your self a leg up on life's horse. My guess is you are a city dweller. Infinite dreaming certainly brings that sense of unfulfilled moments, or rather lack of moment. You need to get out to the forests more; nature's calling. I spent 13 years in born again christian programing in the city. Trust me you need to get out more.

The Will is positive, the Judgment is negative. Thus sayeth the human.

http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1844/manuscripts/comm.htm

Answer 2

very interesting.. Thanks for sharing.

Criticism:

The "?" in the middle of the phrase through me off. Either you could leave the question mark and let the question be its own line or use a colon (or other punctuation) instead.

In the second line.. I think it would be better without the "like" . "like" seems to imply that you know that the world is not actually yours. Removing it would make the fourth line a little more powerful. Also-- I just don't like the word "like" --If you must use something there--try "as if"

Second stanza: Maybe "eternal" as opposed to "forever" in the second line. And I know that poetry is supposed to be honest-- but a wound wanting to be "picked at" isn't very pretty language. Is there another way you could phrase this that would fit with the beautiful language in the rest of the poem?

these are just my own observations--you can take them or leave them..

Answer 3

Professor Plum, the candlestick, last night, in the dining room, because he'd been cheated out of money.

Answer 4

My answer is: Yes, but not right now.

Okay?

For now, go back to your notebook and keep writing.

Answer 5

Philosophy is worthless. Yes, worthless!

Answer 6

Well, to begin with who's on first base and what's on second....

http://www.angelfire.com/theforce/bobjonesjx/wof.htm

HTH

Charles

Answer 7

Not bad.

Answer 8

my thoughts exactly

Answer 9

HOW did you come up with this?