I don’t have sons or daughters, I
have invented no words
They are all mine, they are all
yours.
How, then, do we raise them up into
the Light?
How then does the Light call us to be
their guardians?
to be custodians and stewards to
their fullness in and out of time?
I don’t own acres, I've built no
walls
They are all mine, they are all
yours.
How, then, do we dig down and build
up?
How then do our hearts need land and
walls
to grow and nourish and protect and
know?
I have tables and chairs, I have
resources
They are all mine, they are all
yours.
How, then, do we invite each other
to the seats?
How do our lives and words welcome
others
to give and take and move up
mountains?
I hoarded books and plates, they
line my walls
in order of my thoughts and years—from
the earliest
children’s books and toy cups on
the lower shelves
to the philosophy, poetry and pots of tea on
the upper
and a world of dialogue and
description in between.
I held a wealth of paper and pens
in my hands, boxed
writings and photographs against
loss, called them treasures,
and locked them away with
precious coins to use another day.
Now they are so much trash for
someone else to throw away.
When I kept my leadings from the
world, they died with me.
And so, in another chance at life,
I strip down
to be all mine, to be all yours, to engage with children
and worlds, to increase the fullness of land and life—
all of those parts
that no one owns and everyone belongs to.
My treasure
is you and I want more, more. The treasure is me.
For Sumana's prompt Poets United Midweek Motif ~ Treasure
My blog poems are rough drafts.
Please respect my copyright.
© 2018 Susan L. Chast
this really gets one thinking ... there are some powerful messages in these words..
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this poem!!!!!! The having and not owning, the journey of acquiring and letting go, and especially those closing lines - the treasure is you, the treasure is me. WONDERFUL!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHuman treasure, as your poem suggests, is the one that matters most of all. By cultivating relationships we become rich indeed.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. .."all of those parts that no one owns and everyone belongs to..."
ReplyDeleteLoving this line.
Life is full of treasure if we just stop and look! Good write!
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful your words are. How wonderful to realize what is treasure and what is trash. Your words are about true adulthood, which few of us reach. I love the healthy selfishness and generosity as you realized what truly has value. This is a fantastic poem.
ReplyDeleteSometimes people never see how beautiful they are as well as the whole population. We have so much potential to do anything, create, adapt, nurture and most importantly love one another. However we find this so hard to do, we get angry at each other rather than accept differences and live and let live for we all can contribute in our own way. What a powerful poem you have written here Susan.
ReplyDeleteWhat is treasure to us is trash to the relatives and they junk it when you pass. So give away everything now to someone or some institution who will appreciate it. Your poem has inspired me to do this. I have been putting it off but this year I will. Thank you.
ReplyDelete"all of those parts that no one owns and everyone belongs to." The most beautiful line I've recently come across. What is trash and what is not...How I wish we could have this knowledge at the dawn of our life. But that is not to be. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteVery thought-provoking, and wise.
ReplyDeleteI like the way the rhythm changes slightly with every stanza and the thought-provoking questions.
ReplyDeleteI like the write and all your treasures!!
ReplyDelete