A POEM IN FOUR MOVEMENTS

MOVEMENT I:
“Cantabile”

(dal niente) The Eyes of the Universe stare upon a girl
sitting quietly,
looking down across
a white piece of paper-
a vast, snow covered field blowing
clouds of white
into her mind.
She has glimpsed possibilities and perfection
through an ethereal connection to
the Eyes of the Universe
and now
there is nothing to write,
nothing that would not
seem like a muddy footprint in this
shinning, white field.
She can think of nothing to say
that could justify the recklessness
of placing pen on paper.

MOVEMENT II:
“Meditativo”

What is truly
important?
What legend,
what lesson,
is imperative to reveal?
Ideas swimming through the girl’s head seem trivial
with the wisps of understanding given to her by
the Eyes of the Universe
Is there anything
that hasn’t been thought before?
Original, ground-breaking ideas
waiting to be revealed?
Everything is cliché
after her glance through
the Eyes of the Universe
How can anyone say something
perfectly?
How
can anyone capture the thrill of improvisation,
or the desperation
of fear

truthfully?
Words are
inaccurate,
insubstantial,
inconsequential,
to describe what she saw through
the Eyes of the Universe

INTERMEZZO

So why does she write?
If it isn’t original,
important,
exact

Why does she read?
If words are so limited,
and ideas so trivial,
cliché.

MOVEMENT III:
“Alegro”
A DUET

I can’t speak for this girl.
I have not lived her life,
not felt her pain,
her joy.
I do not know her.
But I know myself.
This
is why I read and write:

I want to go to impossible places.

Unfortunately, my Hogwarts acceptance letter got lost in the mail so the Harry Potter books are my only way there.

I want to relieve stress.

Killing off characters feels so good!

I want to escape where I am.

Running away is awfully inconvenient.

I want to meet people I will never meet.

Snoopy and I have developed a very close relationship.

I want to be entertained.
I can’t leave Katniss lying half dead on the ground!

I want to express myself.
Some things just shouldn’t be said out loud.

I want to learn.
Really, I am just dying to know all about Paleolithic culture!

I want to imagine.
Imaaaginaaaaaatioon!

I want to create.
The book I got from the library yesterday on how to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches really helped me create my lunch.

I want to chase perfection.
I know if I just write a couple more poems one of them will be perfect to everyone!


MOVEMENT IV:
“Coda”

(Calmando) And although these reasons may seem silly and shallow
they really boil down to one word
life-
living to the fullest
with imagination and strength
and making everything meaningful and true to you
personally

And I
think that is something that
even the Eyes of the Universe could
respect,
as they look away from the quiet girl
calming a blizzard inside her head,
and off into the future that only
they
Can see
(al niente)