Monday, July 25, 2011

When Your Eyes Are Green

In the dim light
Or the rain
Or when you’re looking away from me
And I gaze aslant into your eyes
They appear to be green...
Not the bright green of sun kissed grass
Or the dark green of alpine forests
But the green at the surface of deep waters

I want to lose myself in those waters
I want to dive into those eyes and never come up for air
I want to explore the deeps that the surface hints at
I want to find all there is of you, there, in your eyes
Find it
And embrace it as my own

But who can own the sea?
What man can claim the waters he treads as his?
No,
The more he watches the sea
The more he pursues her
The more he dives in
The more he finds
That it is the sea that owns him...
The sea embraces him
The sea holds him up
The sea threatens to drown him
And the storms of the sea can always cast him on some deserted shore
Never to find home again...

No,
Man does not own the sea
Though he may claim her
Though he may sail across the surface
And gaze at the shores
Though he may hunt the deeps
And find the hidden places
Though he may declare his love for her
He may never own her.
For the sea is free
And fair
And unfathomable.

So it is better not to quest for ownership
It is better to make no claim
Or conquest
But to remain in awe
And wonder
Swimming
And hoping that the inexplicable may be:
That when that dive is taken
That dangerous dive down deep
You find yourself in the fathoms
Not needing to breathe

8 comments:

  1. FL - you have got style. This is an excellent exploration of metaphor...oh those eyes eh?

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  2. (sung) Take my breathe away....

    wow! excellent!

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  3. This is undoubtedly one of the most romantic poems I've ever read.

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  4. Words fail me, the feelings carry me only a really wonderful poem can do that for me and this one just did!

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  5. Wonderful poem. I love the way you described the shade of green the eyes were. I could see them; I could see you glancing at them. Very nice writing!

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  6. The ending is lovely. It was a good good metaphor, well treated.

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  7. so poetic and true.

    thanks for linking to poetry potluck.

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