Poems for Ross - 5. goodness

How much Ross has meant to you over the years...both a solace and a torment--too precious to lose, too painful to keep. And yet, despite all that, there has to be a reward, and I think it must be the dreams you built in your head, for they showed that such a thing was possible to feel, maybe to embrace some day. How sad the life and soul of one who never can envision such scenes.

I cry with you for not achieving your goal with this wonderful boy, but I also sing with you at the experience you hold in your heart. First Loves are said to be the purest and grandest of all, the standard by which all others are measured...joyous the spirit which has felt such things, for it can give warmth on a cold day, and light in the darkest night. Cherish the memories, take them out once in a while to hold them in your heart...they show you what love should be, and make you appreciate it more, and ensure that you give the best of yourself to those in your heart.
Congratulations, AC.

On 08/10/2015 09:13 PM, ColumbusGuy said:

How much Ross has meant to you over the years...both a solace and a torment--too precious to lose, too painful to keep. And yet, despite all that, there has to be a reward, and I think it must be the dreams you built in your head, for they showed that such a thing was possible to feel, maybe to embrace some day. How sad the life and soul of one who never can envision such scenes.

 

I cry with you for not achieving your goal with this wonderful boy, but I also sing with you at the experience you hold in your heart. First Loves are said to be the purest and grandest of all, the standard by which all others are measured...joyous the spirit which has felt such things, for it can give warmth on a cold day, and light in the darkest night. Cherish the memories, take them out once in a while to hold them in your heart...they show you what love should be, and make you appreciate it more, and ensure that you give the best of yourself to those in your heart.

Congratulations, AC.

Thank you for a thoughtful review, ColumbusGuy. But just to be clear, all of the Ross poems were written in a pretty narrow time frame. I think the 'newest' one dates to about two years after I first met him.

These are all young poems. I hope they show the rawness of how confusing it was way back then for me. If I had met him just a few years later, I would have 'made things happen,' but as the old me says so often in these poems, I guess it was not to be.

Thanks again. I always love hearing from you.

Every time more Ross-poems are added, I am amazed that the same theme can produce such different emotions.
The one that impressed me most of this trio was no. 10, for to me it has a much more universal meaning than "just" a poem for Ross. If I hadn't known the context I would have read this poem as an epitaph. After a loved one dies and your thoughts are occupied dayly with memories, sooner or later there comes a day when you are shocked by the discovery that you didn't think about him or her yesterday. For me the fear for that discovery is also embodied in these lines.
The fact that the poems are now here for us to read shows your fear has not become reality. Ross is not forgotten.
Once again thanks for sharing this.

CG and JHunter got this covered! I'll just add, that even in its simplicity, (and in no way do I mean simple) it's hard to miss the depth of unencumbered emotion in all of Ross' poems. You used 'rawness' to describe it...that's a good word..

On 08/11/2015 04:24 AM, J.HunterDunn said:

Every time more Ross-poems are added, I am amazed that the same theme can produce such different emotions.

The one that impressed me most of this trio was no. 10, for to me it has a much more universal meaning than "just" a poem for Ross. If I hadn't known the context I would have read this poem as an epitaph. After a loved one dies and your thoughts are occupied dayly with memories, sooner or later there comes a day when you are shocked by the discovery that you didn't think about him or her yesterday. For me the fear for that discovery is also embodied in these lines.

The fact that the poems are now here for us to read shows your fear has not become reality. Ross is not forgotten.

Once again thanks for sharing this.

Thank you, J.HunterDunn. Your comments about No. 10 are pretty awesome. I always wonder if I should give out 'more' information, for the worst thing a poet can do is impose a reading of his or her work. At least, that's how I feel.

In any event, I can tell you that these three are dated from the start of June to mid August of the year I met Ross. The first one was 'born' in feelings of the school year ending, and me not being able to see him on a daily basis.

I recall that that summer I got to hang out with him a few times, so the other poems probably resulted from being separated from him again.

Thanks for your support, and always insightful reviews.

On 08/12/2015 12:23 AM, Defiance19 said:

CG and JHunter got this covered! I'll just add, that even in its simplicity, (and in no way do I mean simple) it's hard to miss the depth of unencumbered emotion in all of Ross' poems. You used 'rawness' to describe it...that's a good word..

Thank you, Defiance19. Yes, raw is how I felt writing them. Thank you for your support and kinds words.