Friday 15 January 2016

The Silence Between the Notes

If for every path not taken
There is a parallel universe,
For very chorus heard
There is a silent verse.

City moves in maddening chaos,
As we get lost in crowds and its throes,
Searching for a blindfold to pathos ,
Not once looking to the undertows.

The moments between phone rings,
The poetry despite the text message blur,
The mindful breaths between desperate pangs,
Is when air becomes breath.

Pauses before punch lines,
The loud note and then the softer,
Elegant strokes of blank canvas,
Amidst splashes of colour.

/* So this one is about the virtues of silence and minimalism. I think in the fast and chaotic world we find ourselves in , the few moments of silence and poignant observation are rather amiss and rare. Great work of art always have paid attention to this idea. How many notes does BB King have to play to say what he wants to say and how many words does Hemingway have to write to convey all the horrors of war? I think we could all benefit from a few moments of silence and reserve in a world full of noise and chaos. Of course , too much of silence can never be a good thing, but given how fast and loud modern life has become , it is always great when art remind us to take a moment and just observe.*/


46 comments:

  1. That first Stanza knocked my socks off, and then I discovered air around me "become breath." Wow. I have heard the holy silence in Bach.

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    1. thank you ! yes Bach has those elements in abundance !

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  2. Silence is a powerful tool and when used correctly it can lead us to so many unsolved mysteries.

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  3. The loud note and then the softer,
    Elegant strokes of blank canvas,
    Amidst splashes of colour.

    The soothing emptiness of the canvas can lead to lots of great moments of colors. Very true Suyash!

    Hank

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  4. Wonderful take on the prompt Suyash :D indeed we tend to get lost in the chaos and madness. It is moments of silence which truly jolts us back into reality. Thank you so much for participating :D


    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

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  5. Elegant strokes of blank canvas,
    Amidst splashes of colour
    are what this world does not hear or see
    are the unwritten music which colours all of me...

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    1. wow , that makes for one amazing alternative ending !

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  6. Great art uses both positive and negative space, the busy-ness and the silence.

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  7. We definitely need to take advantage of those moments of silence between all the things that keep us busy in today's world. You have really got me thinking about the idea of parallel universes!

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  8. In every poem, perfection lies in the caesura... just like that pause between heartbeats... silence is everywhere.

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  9. Silence can be healing.... we needs those times.

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  10. What you have depicted so beautifully here reminds me of a Rumi quote that I love: "In silence there is eloquence. Stop weaving and see how the pattern improves."

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    1. yes, we do need to stop weaving at times .... rumi wisdom

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  11. For very chorus heard
    There is a silent verse.

    Excellent line!

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  12. I loved the last lines:
    "Pauses before punch lines,
    The loud note and then the softer,
    Elegant strokes of blank canvas,
    Amidst splashes of colour."
    Good one!

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  13. What a beginning..Wowzers Suyash..silence is moments of loftiness...

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  14. The essence of mindfulness perhaps? It truly is what happens (or not) in those precious gaps that often seem so important and meaningful ..a wonderfully meditative and reflective poem

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  15. i appreciated the yin/yang you portray in this piece. yes, silence and solitude is a waning commodity in our world today and if we can find that moment we should cherish it

    gracias, well penned

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  16. How right you are, the pause; that sweet silence that underlines the following words is so important. Great writing.

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  17. Exquisite - reads like a symphony.. lushness of a world in the pauses - a mirrored alternate parallel Universe ...stuuuuuning ❤️❤️

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  18. One of my favorite songs, The Sounds of Silence. I couldn't agree more with your thoughts about needed time for silence, space, whiteness....minimalism. I seek that more now in my life and am content with it for longer periods.

    Your poem is fabulous at conveying this thought!

    Donna@LivingFromHappiness

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  19. I am most intrigued by "If for every path not taken, there is a parallel universe....." Cool. I often think I took that wrong turning somewhere, LOL.

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  20. Great poem! the need for silence is so mind boggling to some. When I can enjoy the silence I can recharge to the fullest extent and be ready for whatever waits.

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  21. I couldn't agree more... art somehow must point towards silent moments... to things between things, half hidden.

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  22. Beautifully written. It was a great read :)

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  23. I can feel the second stanza. You are a true poet in the making. Love how you substitute words for happenings that is a part of an everyday experience in the city. Love, love, loved it!!!

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  24. Beautiful take on silence - on the pauses between sounds.

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  25. I am a hermit by choice, and silence, once feared, has become a friend. Love your poem. The song is an old favorite and whenever I hear it, I need to pause and listen, and sing quietly along. It is rich with good memories,

    Elizabeth

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    1. hermit by choice ? that's very interesting !
      how good are simon and garfunkel ?

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  26. Oh yes...loquacious silence! You've wonderfully made it... :-)

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  27. strange, i was writing about the need to slow down too...:)
    nice contrasting images you have painted in your poem.

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  28. Lovely reflection:
    "City moves in maddening chaos,
    As we get lost in crowds and its throes,
    Searching for a blindfold to pathos ,
    Not once looking to the undertows."
    Thanks for sharing!

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  29. There is a lot of depth in this thought-provoking beautifully rendered piece.

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  30. That first verse, just wow. No words. just wow. what a contrast. :)

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  31. I simply love "when air becomes breath." This is how I feel in nature. Fresh air is literally breathing again.

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  32. This is a beautiful reflection on the importance of silence. I make sure I get daily times of silence. I don't think I could survive without it. The world out there can be overwhelming with its chaotic energy. I love that song by Simon and Garfunkel, one of my all time favorites.
    Gayle ~

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  33. Appreciating silence more and more as I get older. I especially like the blank canvas analogy and the line 'when air becomes breath'.

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  34. yes, we need to listen to that which is unsaid, listen to the silence more than we do. beautiful lines

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  35. Too often happiness
    is thought of in words
    or silence as a state of
    mind over body..
    for me at least..
    i must dance
    free without
    instruction..
    to ever catch
    boDy back
    up to miNd
    iN balanCe..
    wHere theRe
    can be a peaceful
    eye now oF Hurricane..
    in a dance so complex
    to the outer eye.. but
    ease internAlly wITh
    a boDy
    that
    feels
    how..
    without
    any human
    words at aLL..
    magic iS possiBle
    but free iS magic..
    dance.. to me..
    @lEast..:)

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    1. this has to be one of the best comments on this blog

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  36. This is such a great reflection on the value of silence. (Wish I hadn't had to miss Sanaa's prompt). I really like this:

    The mindful breaths between desperate pangs,
    Is when air becomes breath

    Blogger won't let me publish using Wordpress. My current blog is http://liv2write2day.wordpress.com

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