week 102 ~ there are only so many ways
there are only so many ways
that you can bring your soul along
to hold onto forgotten days
you have to choose what goes what stays
pack up your bits of joy or song
there are only so many ways
to stoically extend your gaze
to the road ahead while you long
to hold onto forgotten days
for you can not afford delays
and you don’t want to get it wrong
there are only so many ways
to gain your freedom time betrays
hope so quickly you must stay strong
to hold onto forgotten days
while memories dim and the tale plays
on knowing here’s where you belong
there are only so many ways
to hold onto forgotten days



Really enjoyed reading your poem…I thought about how much more important holding onto the past becomes as one ages…of course with the appropriate edits to memory. ;-)
slpmartin
September 30, 2010 at 9:31 am
Thanks! The idea came from a radio program I heard on Irish immigration to the US. They said the Irish brought music, Italians brought food because there isn’t room to bring everything, and those things still say home. And of course in the months I spend in Rio there is so much of my life here that doesn’t fit there.
mairmusic
September 30, 2010 at 2:30 pm
there are so many to appreciate your poems..I choose “Beautiful”
umapoems
September 30, 2010 at 9:50 am
Well thanks so much!
mairmusic
September 30, 2010 at 2:31 pm
there are only so many ways to forgotten days..
love the flow,
beautiful poem…
your words truly inspire.
Jingle
September 30, 2010 at 10:07 am
thanks, Jingle!
mairmusic
September 30, 2010 at 2:31 pm
so very beautiful marilynn. some days- we just want to hug them tightly forever.
trisha
September 30, 2010 at 10:35 am
lovely sentiment, Trisha!
mairmusic
September 30, 2010 at 2:31 pm
some excellent word play there…there are so many ways…yet hope remains? smiles. Hope, though, is always necessary.
brian
September 30, 2010 at 12:31 pm
But not everything, we don’t get to keep everything…
mairmusic
September 30, 2010 at 2:36 pm
i always admire your posts ! So much wise and yet easy to absorb .. :)
ladynimue
September 30, 2010 at 3:20 pm
Well thanks for commenting to let me know– glad you enjoy reading!
mairmusic
September 30, 2010 at 4:07 pm
This is so good! Sadly, for many, the the older they get, the less of the past they seem to be able to carry.
I am so impressed that you can be so eloquent within the challenge of a villanelle. I’ve never tried one, but it looks tough!
PattiKen
September 30, 2010 at 5:26 pm
I am addicted to formal poetry, although the villanelle is often a difficult one. I nearly missed the One-Shot because it was resisting me… I had thought this was a poem about immigrants, but as I re-read it from your perspective, it could well be a poem about aging. A small sigh for my mom…
mairmusic
September 30, 2010 at 6:27 pm
Deep sentiment this one and will stay with me for a while. Thanks Ms M xxx
buttercup600
September 30, 2010 at 6:03 pm
Thanks for reading, Ms B!
mairmusic
September 30, 2010 at 6:26 pm
very pragmatic to anyone who still lives in the past. Live on, thanks for the poem
luisydomonique
October 1, 2010 at 3:45 am
interesting choice of adjectives– thanks for reading!
mairmusic
October 1, 2010 at 9:22 am
Selective memory loss … not a bad thing.
Marilynn, this is a lovely poem, one to read over and over. Thank you!
Jamie Dedes
October 5, 2010 at 4:04 pm
Thanks j! I was thinking of all the things we can’t take w/ us when we emigrate, but someone pointed out that it’s about aging too.
mairmusic
October 5, 2010 at 5:01 pm
[...] Celebrating a year:http://mairmusic.wordpress.com/2010/09/30/week-102-there-are-only-so-many-ways/ [...]
Thursday Poets Rally Week 30 | Jingle
October 6, 2010 at 11:49 am
“There are only so many ways”…so much power in this line.
I always enjoy your professional write.
Cheers.
Emmanuel Ibok
October 6, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Thanks Lord E– always an honor to have you here!
mairmusic
October 6, 2010 at 7:11 pm
soo beautiful it is….. simple yet powerful…loved reading .. !
viddhi
October 7, 2010 at 12:10 pm
thanks, I appreciate your comment!
mairmusic
October 8, 2010 at 12:30 am
Happy Thursday,
Let me know after you are done!
Jingle
October 7, 2010 at 2:53 pm
I loved the line about choosing what goes or stays. Very nice poem.
Kimberly's Page
October 7, 2010 at 4:13 pm
thanks for reading!
mairmusic
October 8, 2010 at 12:31 am
WOnderful writing.
To live in the beautiful moment that is now…there are only so many ways.
woih
October 7, 2010 at 7:51 pm
thanks for leaving a message!
mairmusic
October 8, 2010 at 12:31 am
You’ve found a lovely rhythm in this piece. Thanks for sharing it for the rally!
julielaing
October 10, 2010 at 1:25 am
Thanks– glad you liked it!
mairmusic
October 11, 2010 at 1:15 am
wow! i have read this out-loud and there is such a beautiful rhythm and flow of it!
Liliana Negoi
October 11, 2010 at 7:57 am
thanks so much!
mairmusic
October 11, 2010 at 10:52 am