Sunday, September 03, 2006

Not Until
By Don Iannone

Not until I knew myself,
I stumbled headfirst through life,
believing my fall from grace was an omen
that I was free at last.
Not until I knew you,
I fell prey to my own lies and self-deception,
wishing you wouldn't rob me
of my last filthy remains.
Not until my ego died,
I thought having was living,
and you were mine--
all because I wanted to possess you.
Not until I hit the wall,
I thought I could fly forever,
and never pay the price
for following my foolish dreams.
Not until I saw the universe
with clear blue eyes,
I thought my world was it,
and nothing was beyond me.
Not until you doused the raging fire
that caused me to self-combust,
I thought the fire was my light,
and I was only alive when I was on fire.
Not until I discovered life was a full length mirror,
reflecting everything we are,
I thought I could close one eye
and only see what I wanted to see.
Not until the sun came up,
washing away the darkness in my life,
did I see none of it is mine,
and that life is truly a gift.

14 comments:

gautami tripathy said...

You never fail to surprise me. I always learn so much from your poetry. Your spirituality reaches out.

"Not until the sun came up,
washing away the darkness in my life,
did I see none of it is mine,
and that life is truly a gift."

QUASAR9 said...

"I thought having was living, and you were mine-- all because I wanted to possess you.
Not until I hit the wall, I thought I could fly forever,
and never pay the price for following my foolish dreams.
Not until I saw the universe
with clear blue eyes,"


Don, Pure Magic!

Wishing you fun & games (tennis?) this xtra long weekend

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thank you Gautami and Quasar. I appreciate your kind words.

Gautami...good having you back and hope you're well.

Q...too much rain here for tennis this weekend, but there is always the fitness center for exercise.

Blessings!

ufukhati said...

I'm reading (closely) the reflections of your words.

---STUNNING---

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

ufukhati...thank you and glad you enjoyed this poem.

Dan said...

I thought the fire was my light,
and I was only alive when I was on fire.

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Dan. Happy Sunday.

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

Wonderful. This one is so full of thoughts and lessons.

Bob said...

You have a gift for making important things wonderfully clear.

Jim said...

How we are not ours? Fine writing Don.

Thanks for the reference to D.C.Matt, I just this hour read his Mar 03 Lecture from Brooke, it was excellent, well done and clear and full. I appreciate your note and I will look more into his work, Thanks Don.

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Jim, Jon, Rob, and Andrew. Your kind comments are most appreciated. Yes, there is a lot to chew on in this poem.

Jim...Daniel Matt has quickly become one of my favorites. His writing about the Kabbalah is as lyrical as poetry.

dumbdodi said...

Hi Don, hope you are having a great weekend.
Not until I discovered life was a full length mirror,
reflecting everything we are,
I thought I could close one eye
and only see what I wanted to see
You are so honest Don without making a big hue and cry about it. Just plain honesty at its best in your poetry

serenity said...

Stunning, simply stunning. So many verses in this poem speak in so many different ways. Your poetry grows in depth and insight with every passing day, Don. Just lovely.

Don Iannone, D.Div., Ph.D. said...

Thanks Dumbdodi. I find it's easier to be honest with myself and others when I align with my true nature. It's available to all of us.

Thanks Serenity. Nice words and much appreciated.

Blessings to you both.

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