Paradigm Shift

I’m not an iceblock. I’m not a teardrop,
mooching around your Long Island Iced Tea.
I’m not chasing dreams, dreaming of Jeannie;
I’m not slowing for one more whistle stop.
I’ve never bridged sighs, I don’t island hop;
I’ve not tasted the free airs of Heaney,
nor held a heart that, like some Houdini,
didn’t vanish with a barbaric yawp.
I have set no flame within love’s hearth
that didn’t burn that shantytown down.
At night, I am king; come morning, uncrowned-
I walk in as Luke, am forced out as Darth.
Rivers are rivers, regardless of flow:
O, stone, be not so; O, stone, be not so.

Ryan Stone

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34 thoughts on “Paradigm Shift”

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  6. Multiple comments are fine, Yusra – that’s how my mind works, too (besides, it makes me look much more popular!). Thanks for all your nice thoughts. Ive never played much with form but I’m having fun. I hope you’re well, thank you for dropping by 🙂

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  9. After reading your ‘Whistle Stop’ this one shows the free one like wind who has little need for that bunch of roses. A warring soul, I suppose. To be honest, I don’t know the details of Star Wars, but I am aware that Luke and Darth are related, and perhaps trying to become whole. Great poems.

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  11. Ryan, my dear dear friend. What do I say this time? How do I praise thee? Too many things to say (about this piece), not enough syllables to utter those. I’ll just say you took my breath away.

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  13. A beautifully complex piece weaved delicately with wonderful allusions. It felt like I was on a train watching I Dream of Jeanie while reading Seamus Heaney’s ‘The Walk’ ( I love Heaney’s work and still read him. I actually had an opportunity to hear him read and lecture at a university one time when I was studying Irish poetry. My favourite of his is ‘Digging’, of course, where he likens his pen to his father’s plough). I also love your use of juxtaposition, especially in the opening lines, offering contrast between the ice and tear, both human moods and both properties of water. And, I have to say that even though a stone may settle to the bottom of a flowing river, it does roll and smooth itself against other stones, constantly changing in shape and size until it is but a grain of sand. Ryan, my new friend, your artistry knows no limits. It’s so good to read and view your work.

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    1. What wonderful feedback to start my day with! I’m flattered, humbled and so appreciative of you thoughtful comments. Ah, to have heard Heaney read – I’m incredibly jealous of that one. Yes, Digging is one of my first memories of being captured by a poem. Along with Slessor’s “Five Bells” and a heap by Maya Angelou. Thank you so much for the time you’ve invested in your reply, you’ve made my day 🙂

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      1. You are most welcome, Ryan! Heaney was so inspiring and I love Angelou – such a heart and such a genuine human being. She is missed. I love your work and what it speaks to me. Cheers, mate 🙂

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  14. Pingback: Oh Heart, Be Not So (A Sonnet) – Emotional Spaces

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