In the daring drunken days of youth
I stole a woman’s virtue and lost mine
I stole time from the interested and made a salary of scorn
I stole sympathy from the concerned and remained broken
I stole the magic wordings of the gods and lost sanity
I stole from the poor and ate a dry crust of cynicism
I stole innocence from children by giving them the world –
The wild panorama of fanatics, destroyers, and lying thieves,
The ubiquitous greed
I lost self-respect
I stole pleasures and borrowed fitful shame and sleeplessness
But when I stole into the labyrinth and found the whirling core
I turned against the world
With a reversing wind
I stole my soul back and became real again
Now, in these older days of slippery stone,
Descending slopes watery with sunlight
I steal wisdom from wise men and become bearded
I steal love from those who still love and still love
I steal the hatred of the worldly and become holy
I steal the heart of my experience to feed poems,
To steal beauty is no crime
I steal loneliness from those hidden away
I steal happiness from the rain of losses
I steal freedom and leave those who would chain to rage
I steal visions from the atmosphere
So, steal this poem, if you please
Put it where you will:
In your heart
In a friendly place
On a printed page
On a wall
In the soul of the world
I dream your satisfaction
But remember, make sure of your direction:
When you steal, think what thieving means;
When you steal from another’s soul you lose
Safety and good luck, self-confidence,
The ease of the spirit in the world.
Terrific poem, Jim. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGlenda
A gem!
ReplyDeleteGreat thought, great theme. One problem: how can one not steal? In the sense of the poem, we're all doomed to be thieves, or we have no thoughts, I fear.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind comments, James. I'm new at this myself; end of May this year. So, I've been learning by trial and error myself. What I knew with definite certainty was to write! Have a wonderful day, and may the creative juices continue to flow! Petra
ReplyDeleteYou're so right, Petra. To write! Gotta do it, no matter what, now that the children are grown and flown and we're supposed to be retired. Are you?
ReplyDeleteAnd my admiration to Jim!