By Joseph Hesch
He checks the mail every day,
hoping to find that message,
something unsolicited, not in
reply to his soft, first serve of
inviting words. He so hates
that image of himself, begging
behind a mask of rhetoric.
When it never comes,
he crafts another alms cup from
he crafts another alms cup from
zeroes and ones to send
to those he wished would care.
Those, or just one, he hopes
would feel as he does, braving
a different kind of spidery
consummation from across the web.
He's hoping on a dream he knows
will never come near true.
But dreams have kept him company
forever, it seems,
in that darkness before sleep,
when he sees a face, and feels a touch,
and breathes a taste of imagined joy.
Even with the immediacy of light, modern communication still boils down to two people expressing themselves to one another. Yes, it still takes two, no matter how hard a compulsive and obsessive "one" wishes and frets. Just as in the wax-sealed words on paper days, sometimes the message is in what you don't see or hear.
Even with the immediacy of light, modern communication still boils down to two people expressing themselves to one another. Yes, it still takes two, no matter how hard a compulsive and obsessive "one" wishes and frets. Just as in the wax-sealed words on paper days, sometimes the message is in what you don't see or hear.
very well expressed jo...the opening line pulled me straight in...i think its an affinity we all can feel..hope to be seeing you later at One Shot..cheers pete
ReplyDeleteGreat description of an inner life.
ReplyDeleteSuch deep longing in this one, the nervous uncertainty that time and waiting and repetition breed...I know it well, and it is a visage I can empathize with. It is not an easy one to be forced into, however... Descriptive, well-visualized. And so true, in regards to your afterthought. So true.
ReplyDelete"braving
ReplyDeletea different kind of spidery
consummation from across the web." captures the different reality of being even more disembodied and sending binary messages in a bottle. Well done.
Firstl let me give you {{hugs}} because they're kind of my thing, secondly this is a great description of net life Joe "imagined joy" indeed. If only wires were big enough to squeeze through. Problems I've had on the net though, people not being honest etc, it's a balance, but I enjoy the bubble sometimes ;)
ReplyDeleteyeah man...it does take two and when one is not responding it can suck so bad...the feeling of wanting to be known too is one that resonates as well
ReplyDeleteWell said and being one who worked with letters sent for decades has seen this transformation from hand held to web mail....the message is what matters and the touch by letter or email..is so important to living...bkm
ReplyDeleteit is our poetry that enables us to remain in touch with the most tender, profound aspect of life in dire need to communicate with 'someone' out there...when reading your poem i sense your longing to look someone in the eyes and reach out and touch them for real. "Sometimes the message is in what you don't see or hear"...this to me is so meaningful and yet so simply stated...a very sensitive and honest poem...if not for poetry i fear people will lose their imagination and creativity...you've touched many people with this poem...thank you
ReplyDeleteVery thoughtful. Opening line represents so many of us.
ReplyDeleteYour words take me back to a time when I waited and checked every day for that email that never came.
ReplyDeleteMuch is spoken in the silence between words.
ReplyDeleteNice piece, Joseph!
I like it!
ReplyDelete-Ellie Ann