One of my absolute favorite poems is this one by Emily Dickinson.
I am Nobody! Who Are You?
by Emily Dickinson
I'm nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there's a pair of us--don't tell!
They'd banish us, you know.
How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!
What a phrase, "how public like a frog"
And underneath of course is the desire in all of us to be "somebody". I guess the problem comes when one has to decide WHO is going to say you have arrived at the coveted "somebody" stage. There are certain yardsticks I never want to be measured by !
Anyway, in the spirit of the poetical theme of this post, I offer one of my
own, with apologies to Emily for sharing the same page. (Do you think she would think me an upstart, a "toad" ? )
Clouds Without Rain
Heavy clouds tried and succeeded
In obscuring the full moon.
A racing wind blew them about.
And on the edge of this wind rode a nameless desire.
Desire so raw, astonishing in it’s ignorance,
That it could almost masquerade as purity.
But alas, ignorance is no excuse
Even in the face of such a grand illusion.
I stood on such a windy night
Smelling the wildness in the buffeting blows.
That wind, at once warm and cold
Confused my senses and deluded my will.
I thought I would be mistress of its power
And invited it to blow through me
Thinking I might become very wise indeed.
I opened wide a door that I should have guarded well.
That windy night is over now
It’s promise of rain never fulfilled.
And come to think of it
All it’s other mysterious promises broken too.
Oh yes, the door flung open, awaiting enlightenment,
Must now be rebuilt at great expense.
Beware dark windy nights of seeming high adventure
Lest you awaken unprepared in a strange land.