Vicarious Lives
April 7, 2008
We live
amorphous lives
die anonymous deaths
celebrate kitsch
mourn lives never lived
never could have been
When the light tempts us
we hide
fake enlightenments
and orgasms
sleepwalk through dreams
never believing
for a moment
never doubting
We live
our senses blunted
by the stink, the clutter, the noise
the noise, the slime
and the after taste
of unacknowledged defeat
There is escape
in empathy
not the liberating kind
but ingloriously humbling
the knowledge
that we’re not alone
in living
vicarious lives
April 7, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Provocative insight.. esp the last stanza.. I’ve read it a dozen times already… being reminded of the kinship I often felt with certain character’s messy, interesting lives.. fascinated by their quirky sensibilties.. and yes the knowledge too .. that I am not alone… as they say – it was worth the wait. :>)
“and the after taste
of unacknowledged defeat”
these two lines will echo in my head for some time.
April 8, 2008 at 3:23 am
Brilliant and true to the core. You have managed to capture the essence of life (as lived by most of the majority) in a nutshell. This one would rank right at the top, amongst your best.
April 20, 2008 at 2:35 am
just popped in..to say hello!!liked the last stanza the best. sometimes when I read ur poems, I feel that ur blog title describes u and ur poetry the best..A Fine Imbalance..it says it all
enig
April 20, 2008 at 7:59 am
aria: thanks.
iw: i’m honored! thanks.
enig: welcome back (for whatever time you are around, that is). and good you noticed the fine imbalance
. when are u writing?