Eyes Changed Colour

[Zakynthos]

So many hours wasted
On a soulless thing
My heart betrayed me
Left me in disbelief

I met my ego
In a mirror
That summer night
Scarred my life
Naively dancing in the light
Grey butterflies

They made me hate summer
I always hated it
My eyes changed colour
I'm forced to face it

I don't care
If I regret
In despair
I have learned

[natan]

good..

[newpen]

great :-"

[Frankie Jasmine]

Dear Zakynthos,

I am disappointed in myself because I do not understand your main meaning. Is it that something in the person changed so much, that s/he became so unrecognizable to himself/herself--that it is as though the eyes changed color?

My friend, even though I am missing the main meaning, I want you to know that I still like the poem very much. I have read it several times; each time I like it more. Sometimes poetry takes time to "sink in." Perhaps that is what I'm needing . . . the time for the meaning to sink in.

Thank you very much for your poem. I not only like it, I rather identify with it . . . in the way that I experience it. And I love the grey butterflies line soooo much!

[Doug Denslowe]

Very poetic!You keep getting stronger!

[Zakynthos]

Dear Zakynthos,

I am disappointed in myself because I do not understand your main meaning. Is it that something in the person changed so much, that s/he became so unrecognizable to himself/herself--that it is as though the eyes changed color?

My friend, even though I am missing the main meaning, I want you to know that I still like the poem very much. I have read it several times; each time I like it more. Sometimes poetry takes time to "sink in." Perhaps that is what I'm needing . . . the time for the meaning to sink in.

Thank you very much for your poem. I not only like it, I rather identify with it . . . in the way that I experience it. And I love the grey butterflies line soooo much!

I didn't expect anyone to undestand it because I used automatic writing. Though, the main meaning is not that difficult to understand if you examine the poem like literature teachers do. (I don't know what the education system is like in other countries, but here we have a subject in which we study poems and excrepts of books, analyse the meaning of them and work on them.) I can do the same here:

In the beginning, the soulless thing could be anything I was addicted to, from cigarettes to videogames, anything that literally prevented me from thinking clearly.
In the second and third stanza, I realise that I have changed for the worse over the years but the fault is not mine.
In the end, although I was conscious of the damage that the soulless thing caused me, I was too weak to react and help myself. Any possible remorses can be justified.

Perhaps I should change title as I see it now. Sorry if this was too personal. Thank you for your comment.

[Amethystos]

Two days ago, I wanted to congatulate Frankie about her post,
but I felt like waiting for Zakynthos' reply.

I know that, is gentle and polite to state your enthusiasm about somebody's poem,
but...
this is ALSO a main purpose of the "Poetry" section....
"To ask about someone's work, as many questions as you want,
and wait for the creator's answer"

There were too many times in my life that I wished I had the opportunity
to ask about several artistic results,
but only if I was lucky enough, I had some answers from an "expert"
and nearly never from the creator himself.

I once taught that "There are NO stupid questions" and I afterwards realized that
artists love to talk with people about their work.

So .... "ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS AS YOU CAN", in order to make things clear in your mind,
and also, to guide everyone - who participates or reads these threads - to some new ways of thinking.

Thank you both Frankie and Zakynthos.

[spake]

Mystery, symbols, and "automatic writing" are my favorite characteristics of any poem; I too liked the grey butterflies and especially the title which i hope you don't change; it was a very enjoyable read.

[Doug Denslowe]

Amethystos;Well said,well said!I love it when people "speak their mind"with such.........poetry.Couldn't have said it better,myself!

[Frankie Jasmine]

Zakynthos and Amethystos: I have more I wish to respond to each of you because I appreciate your posts so much. However, until I can pull all my thoughts together in earnest, . . . I'd first like to thank you both very much for your comments. And also state my opinion that the title should not change, please! The title is what intrigued me and pulled me in and made the whole poem cohesive.

[Teshka]

(I don't know what the education system is like in other countries, but here we have a subject in which we study poems and excrepts of books, analyse the meaning of them and work on them.)

Yes that's one of the few good things that i can say about our education system, as least as it used to be or was where i went to school, and i have the best memories of "reading circles" in grammar school (this was about 16-18 years ago) where a teacher would read something, or have a student read it and then everyone was given the chance to say exactly what they thought, or just felt from the reading. There are also literature courses in high school and college that will get very heavy into that. but i'm so afraid that there is no longer enough of that kind of teaching/learning in American primary schools....

Automatic writing is something that i always have the greatest respect for bcs i have never been good at doing that bcs smth always seems to block me....does that make sense? But regardless, Zakynthos i also wanna say a big thank you for your answer to Frankie's question (and also thank you Frankie for asking!)......and Amethystos thank you also for your eloquent encouragement, and yea it's amazing to me, as i've found out on youtube and facebook, how many big and successful artists really do love to talk about their work!

[Zakynthos]

Thank you everyone. Talking about your own work is like opening your heart.

[amaryn]

Do indeed continue, Zakynthos, and I keep following the different lines you try... At school in Holland digging oneself into poetry and literature is a MUST; I was
often totally at a loss especially with poetry, but now, afterwards I am happy we have that system.

[spake]

The more I hear about how poetry is valued in other countries facinates me, because when I was younger
growing up in Michigan, I was reluctant to tell my friends I wrote poetry because it was not a tough enough endeavor, now I tell them and ask them if they have a problem with that in a very challenging manner, which also shows I'm from the states.

[Doug Denslowe]

Zak,Please tell me,what is automatic writing?Im still learning too,thanking you in advance,Doug

[Zakynthos]

Hmm, Doug, good question. I'm not good at explaining things but...I guess I have no other option since you asked me. Just kidding of course. I'm always willing to help.

Well, automatic writing or psychography (from Greek, psyche + graphe = soul writing in plain English) is the condition of attempting to write a poem or a song without following any rules, especially about the meaning of what you want to say. In other words, you just use a pencil or a pen and write whatever comes to your mind. I don't know much but I'm almost sure it has to do with the subconscious and the deepest part of the brain. By the way, there are rumours that we only use 10% of our brain...

[Teshka]

Zakynthos I'm sure that you explained it very well, as i see it and i think you are much more correct than those who try to attribute automatic writing to some kind of out-of-body spiritual something or other. I also believe very much in the unused power of the human mind and i think that automatic writing is nothing more than a case where the deeper parts of our imagination and creativity take over, our conscience just steps out of the way and our thoughts become as free as they can be, so that we can free-associate and write more freely and move far out-of-the-box of form and conformity.

I also believe that this is one part of the psyche that can either suffer the most damage from trauma, during childhood or possibly in adulthood, or it can be set free as an escape from a reality that we wish very much to avoid.....or maybe it can also happen for someone who maintains strong connection with his or her deepest emotions....like going into some kind of conscious dream-state....i do believe that that can also take us to that other level, of automatic writing....and now that i think about it, i wanna think that i was doing that when i wrote Cosmic Kiss, bcs i have absolutely no idea where that first line and several other phrases came from

Maybe i'm getting off center in some of that, but that's how i've come to think about it. I just know that when i see it i can usually recognize it and i have the strongest appreciation for those who can do it.

[Frankie Jasmine]

Dear Zantenian:

Tonight I just had to come back for another read of your poem. Thank you for this composition.

[Zakynthos]

Fran,
I'm sorry that I'm not an active member of the forum anymore, but I have A LOT of homework to do from now on. I'm studying Ancient Greek, Latin, History and Greek literature on a daily basis for the next 8 months. In June, I'll be sitting my final exams so I can go to a university. I honestly thank -you and the other fellow members- for everything. Whenever I have the chance, I'll try to comment on other people's work.

[MoonRide*r*]

I hate that I missed reading this for so long, coz I think this is awesome. I feel as if I read it the same way you wrote it, without letting too much tangibility(??) interfere with my absorption of it.

Love it! I think this really shows what you're capable of.

PS: We'll still be here whenever you can get back on, even if it's just a brief passing. Just do your best with what's in front of you now