Tuesday, 13 July 2010

Can't...

I cannot point, there is no point,
Except maybe on the horizon of horizons,
No pin-point place, no space there in between, instead,
I will tell you where I want you to be, in a word,
For your return, you’ll see, by an inner vision,
But don’t depend on me, as I'll say I can't,
I cannot posit or promise, or plan,
Particularise, universalise, tantalise,
Reach out, seize, tend to you,
Take care of you, carry and cradle,
Create, commit, throw to fate,
Inform, re-form, forlorn in rising,
Note my nothingness on blank paper,
Wordless, I hesitate, shift my weight,
But too late, what was underneath,
Has gone, in an absurd weightless word.

23 comments:

Gerry Boyd said...

Blimey, that's bleak. For a vastly different take, there's always Dylan's 'All I Really Want to Do'

I ain’t lookin’ to compete with you
Beat or cheat or mistreat you
Simplify you, classify you
Deny, defy or crucify you
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you

No, and I ain’t lookin’ to fight with you
Frighten you or tighten you
Drag you down or drain you down
Chain you down or bring you down
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you

I ain’t lookin’ to block you up
Shock or knock or lock you up
Analyze you, categorize you
Finalize you or advertise you
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you

I don’t want to straight-face you
Race or chase you, track or trace you
Or disgrace you or displace you
Or define you or confine you
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you

I don’t want to meet your kin
Make you spin or do you in
Or select you or dissect you
Or inspect you or reject you
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you

I don’t want to fake you out
Take or shake or forsake you out
I ain’t lookin’ for you to feel like me
See like me or be like me
All I really want to do
Is, baby, be friends with you

Seán McGrady said...

Indeed Gerry...All I really want to do but can't!! After every line of Dylan insert "but I can't" and it comes very close. Rudimentary in existential insight... It is both a psychoanalytical and philosophical reflection, the despair of "can't"...the retreat from the world to things one can only do within the retreating mind...but it usually ends in complete despair if not halted.
Just back from holiday my man...thanks for this comment...really important.

Eileen T O'Neill ..... said...

Seán,

The more I read this poem, the more I got to understand the complexity, but the also the human sentiments within it.
Being driven to the point of being unable to deliver all,or nothing at all, but yet living with a guilt.
A burden upon one pair of shoulders and with only one lifetime to deliver.......

Keep delivering the words!
Best wishes,
Eileen

Danielle said...

Extremely strong and touching words Seán..

Seán McGrady said...

Immense thanks Eileen, I know how much thought you put into your comments and they themselves are to be considered in the same manner as the work. It all keeps us going...

Seán McGrady said...

Danielle, I like that you chose the word "strong" in application to this..many thanks for reading and commenting...

Jeanne Cosmos' Reflections said...

A wordsmith, truly. Very much appreciate your sharing - jk cosmos

morgan reynolds said...

Blinding honesty here ~ Deeply appreciated Sean, You fly close to a blazing orb!

Seán McGrady said...

and immensely appreciated your comment Jeanne...thank you...

Seán McGrady said...

Divination I call this Morgan...do you have the gift?
Thank you..

Danielle said...

The poet must be 'clear-sighted' said Arthur Rimbaud...'voyant', in the divine sense..Your poetry IS Seán, doubtless..

Sarah said...

This one, to me, is raw and very stirring. Bravo.

Karla Julia said...

It´s an intense and sensitive confession,written in a very special way.
Bravo!
Karla Julia

Seán McGrady said...

Thanks Karla...always great to receive your comments.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful poem!!!

Mónica

Seán McGrady said...

Many thanks Mónica!!

the one who writes said...

so strong and touching...
when you want all to be in a word, or wordless, hesitating....
I really enjoyed it...
hopefully I can write poetry in English someday!!!

Seán McGrady said...

A really fine comment Rosa, very much appreciated.

joycefied said...

Okay, this is the first poem of yours I have read. I must say, THAT is what I am looking for in a poem. Great use of words, and I want to read it and reread, to remember it. So glad I stumbled upon you. You came up as a Networked Blog that I might like, and I do! I see you too haven't written lately, we'll have to work on that.

Magdalena said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Jeanne Cosmos' Reflections said...

Appreciate the tone, the words, the aura..& we go on..jkcosmos

Jeanne Cosmos' Reflections said...

tweeted this one/ here x the pond. ;)

Hala Hoagland, a writing rose, Aka Al-Logaha Hand said...

Here's what came to my mind--I am in that space between because I can't--I pin-point that place where I wait that return because I can't tend to anyone--I inform and reform because I can't do otherwise--on blank paper I am nothing--when the words are gone, it is too late--the world is absurd when surrounded by only weight-less words...a poetic response, Have a great day!