“alone is the star I follow. In love & in solitude”
– from February & my love is in another state – by José Olivarez
to live with the one you love
Is to immerse one’s self
in the illusion of not being alone
but alone we truly are
Coming into, leaving &
passing through the life of this world
so when illness, short of death
physical or mental, intrudes
we are shocked by our solitude
reminded we are alone even
in the presence of the other
and all the constructed togetherness
house, history and family
are all props in the play
& all of us but strolling players
not to disrespect the construct
which is our way of fighting entropy
creating meaning amongst disorder
we weave our fabric and let our flags
flutter in the winds of vicissitude
for friends and family to rally round
but in. the end, we are all
fallen soldiers in a battle
that nobody can win
Take the timely reminders
of essential solitude
to wrap your flag more tightly
around you & your loves
and Reaffirm the meanings
you choose to fight for…
© Andrew Wilson, 2024
Over at dVerse Poets Pub, Punam – paeansunplugged in OpenLinkNight offers us the chance to post a poem of our choice. This is one from my writing group after discussing and writing in the shadow of “February & my love is in another state” – by José Olivarez
Which is why I find marriage vows, when truly meant, so moving. Because that person promises to be there for you no matter what. And we are all finite, and arrive alone (usually, when we’re not twins!) and depart alone, and it’s so poignant when you think about it. It makes a mockery of time and how little we have on reflection…there is only the moment and what we make of it.
Thanks, Sunra, I tear up at the drop of a hat, but marriage vows truly meant would do it for sure…
An interesting word of wisdom for all of us, Andrew! Yes there is always a part of us that seems to be alone, even in a crowd!
Well done.
Thanks so much, Dwight…
No matter how many friends we buy, places we go, selfies we take, even gathering a family together, when we’re hurt, we alone feel the pain. A very poignant poem, Andrew
Thanks, Jane, I really need to write something a little more upbeat…
So beautifully moving, Andrew. I have sometimes felt alone even when surrounded by people who mean the most to me and in those moments I realise some battles we fight alone and perhaps they are bearable because of those we love.
Spot on, Punam, love is the uniquely human panacea for loneliness…
Much to think about here, Andrew. A poignant poem.
Thank you, Merril, the choice of poems we read and subsequent prompts in my writing group make for such introspective work…
Your first three stanza say it all, encompass the human condition and its solitude.
Marriage vows truly meant are a joy to live with.
PS: This is the Cheeseseller Wife here!
A poem full of wisdom and truth that gets to the heart of being human. We face many traumas alone even if we are lucky enough to have love of friends and family with us.
Thanks, Di, a truth I feel we need to be aware of more perhaps than we are…
I put myself behind the words of Jane. And I would like to add that alienation is difficult to fight if not together in it. And difficult to grasp by the successful. Maybe one should better be outstanding. 😏
It may be a fact of life that we are born and die “alone” but it should be our purpose as humans to make sure that nobody feels alienated during their journey between those two points – thanks for providing the word alienation, it’s spot on…
I like the concept of constructed togetherness. That is something I am grateful for, for it is said “you can’t choose your family”. Ah, but fortunately we can.
Up to a point, Melissa, up to a point, but we can indeed construct the best family/togetherness (in the widest sense of the word) that we are able…