Tuesday, August 9, 2011

The Taste of It All

By Joseph Hesch

Before I became what you would call
a man, I was a rapacious predator,
tearing at and gulping down
great chunks of life
and what I thought was love.
The years have drained away
some of my strength and even
some of my yearning for the hunt,
but they have also taught me to nibble
and sip at life, as well as at
the rippled and scarred bowl of you.
I’m not sure if it is to savor them
as I never did in my youth,
or just to make such moments last longer.


This was not the poem I intended to post today, but Claudia Schoenfeld and Diana Lee teased it out of me. So here it is, all aproned-up for my first hosting of Open Link Night at dVerse Poets Pub. Feel free to comment on it (wince). And please visit and comment on the work of poets who are linking up with the community tonight over at dVerse.
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50 comments:

  1. ClaudiaAugust 9, 2011 at 12:46 PM

    big smiles...looking forward to you hosting tonight joe and yes the apron...lol..nibble and sip at life...savor these moments and never stop writing...

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  2. Brian MillerAugust 9, 2011 at 2:01 PM

    nice...yes i think as young men we tend to rip through life at a raucous pace and as we age we learn to enjoy it, though often we dont have the same energy a shame isnt it...you are going to rock as the host tonight!

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  3. ScarletAugust 9, 2011 at 2:05 PM

    I so want to nibble and sip at life...love the taste of this ~

    Looking forward to your hosting ~

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  4. steveroniAugust 9, 2011 at 3:05 PM

    Certainly I did my share of ripping through life. I went from ripping to rippling--grin!

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  5. BeachannyAugust 9, 2011 at 3:07 PM

    I seem to be tiptoeing rather than galloping through my life these days too. Trying to keep my equilibrium is more difficult, or perhaps more important now. I thought this was a "true" right we can all relate to. Thanks Joe for hosting tonight! Have fun. Gay

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  6. AnonymousAugust 9, 2011 at 3:08 PM

    Joe, your maturing has yielded a feast for our eyes, minds, and ears ...

    David

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  7. DaydreamerAugust 9, 2011 at 3:09 PM

    Glad they did squeeze it out of you to post it. It's lovely!
    Who said, youth is watsed on the young. It is. It's only once we reach a certain age we begin to realise we're not invincible and not going to live forever after all, that we begin to really appreciate our lives and how lucky we are to have them and then we start to try and make the most of them.
    Lovely prose, have a great time hosting.

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  8. TimoteoAugust 9, 2011 at 3:11 PM

    Nice introspective piece. I know what you mean, though I still want to gulp and gobble at times!

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  9. The Zen of GavinAugust 9, 2011 at 3:12 PM

    Excellent... this is the most elegant 'Stop and smell the roses' I have heard.

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  10. Uneven StephenAugust 9, 2011 at 3:22 PM

    Great poem, with a wonderful message. We all need to slow down and "nibble" at life more, rather than wolf it down without taste.

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  11. AnonymousAugust 9, 2011 at 3:26 PM

    Aah learning to savour a good wine instead of guzzling down several bottles of plonk. Might benefit from a couple of stanza breaks after lines 5 & 11, just a thought. Very eloquent piece Joe, which I much enjoyed reading.

    Carys

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  12. Jenne' R. Andrews August 9, 2011 at 3:37 PM

    A beautiful poem, Joe. I love reading and feeling such honesty and tenderness from a male poet. xxxj

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  13. joannaAugust 9, 2011 at 3:51 PM

    there is indeed a poetic maturity to this that really appeals. very philosophical of you, Joe.

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  14. UnknownAugust 9, 2011 at 3:52 PM

    Touching poetry, the moment we realize that we need to visit the actual moment. What lovely things it yields, its good you learned to nibble ;) Great write Joe and thanks for hosting this week! ~ Rose

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  15. AnonymousAugust 9, 2011 at 4:13 PM

    Young women have a touch of the racous about them too :D I think as you get older, you kind of learn that things taste better when you eat them slowly and savour them ;)

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  16. Dulçe ♥August 9, 2011 at 4:22 PM

    LOVE THAT
    rippled and scarred bowl of you...

    GREAT OPENING

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  17. KavitaAugust 9, 2011 at 4:59 PM

    I like your enthusiasm for life... be it in the form of voracity in youth, or gradual sipping later...

    Sip on, my friend.. :) And while at it, write on as well! :))

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  18. UnknownAugust 9, 2011 at 5:15 PM

    i'm not so sure either... but i rather enjoy sipping slowly at this. really lovely! thank you for hosting tonight ;)

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  19. AnonymousAugust 9, 2011 at 5:23 PM

    This feels an extraordinary mix of well-chosen normal language and poetic precision.

    Outstanding lines:

    but they have also taught me to nibble
    and sip at life, as well as at
    the rippled and scarred bowl of you.

    Mmm... know what you mean...

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  20. ayalaAugust 9, 2011 at 5:25 PM

    Savor it all...I love this poem!

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  21. ~Kelvin S. M.August 9, 2011 at 5:32 PM

    ..i believe we all need to go through such pace or we wouldn't appreciate this thing called 'life'.. at 20, i think i'm still in that stage of being a rapacious predator... wanting everything, tasting all, selfish at times.. so much to dig in life.

    P.S. just wanted to thank you for hosting this week's openlinknight tuesday... for some reason my comment at dverse pub didn't get through... i've tried twice and still it's not there... maybe, i'll try again a li'l later. Thanks again!

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  22. LouiseAugust 9, 2011 at 6:30 PM

    Mmm...nibble & sip ~ I like that. Something to savour.. :)

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  23. UnknownAugust 9, 2011 at 6:42 PM

    Very nicely stated. You captured a lot in this piece. I like how you put this down almost as if you were making both a remembrance of past and an evaluation of the present all at once. Very well done, truly enjoyed and thanks for hosting OLN at D'verse.

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  24. Arron ShillingAugust 9, 2011 at 6:43 PM

    Hi

    This piece spoke straight to my...erm...testosterone.
    I am in extremist - withinn reason (doh)
    I mean i push the limits...Im greedy. I tend to devour but as i have aged i have begun to reflect and evaluate more but i empathise with all you raised...the ending especially...and of course your frame work and tools are perfect - which inflates the whole. superb!

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  25. Christi MoonAugust 9, 2011 at 6:46 PM

    wow!

    but they have also taught me to nibble
    and sip at life, as well as at
    the rippled and scarred bowl of you.

    excellent. glad they squeezed this out of you!

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  26. Mark KerstetterAugust 9, 2011 at 7:02 PM

    When you gulp you don't taste, plus - indigestion!

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  27. AnonymousAugust 9, 2011 at 7:05 PM

    "the rippled and scarred bowl of you." who is "you" this second person came out of nowhere.

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  28. mrs mediocrityAugust 9, 2011 at 7:15 PM

    the rippled and scarred bowl of you... love this, very often refer to myself as an empty bowl.

    i really liked your poem, very honest and heartfelt.

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  29. hedgewitchAugust 9, 2011 at 7:27 PM

    Greed is the enemy of all good things, and unlearning it at whatever age can only make life richer--i love the economy of words here, and the very fine hand in the imagery as well. Your opening two lines just rocked me, and every line thereafter kept it coming to a perfect finish.

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  30. AnonymousAugust 9, 2011 at 8:02 PM

    I see wisdom in your words...

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  31. AnonymousAugust 9, 2011 at 8:59 PM

    You have a great hook and it pulled me right through. Well done!

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  32. Ginny BrannanAugust 9, 2011 at 9:07 PM

    Joe, Really enjoyed this poem, and especially liked the quiet pondering at the end:

    'I’m not sure if it is to savor them
    as I never did in my youth,
    or just to make such moments last longer.'

    Why not both, perhaps? A wonderful piece, so glad you shared this.

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  33. AnonymousAugust 9, 2011 at 9:35 PM

    Thank you for hosting a marvelous evening of engaging poetry and for sharing your hard won wisdom with us.

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  34. AnonymousAugust 9, 2011 at 9:49 PM

    Nice toothy imagery here, with a great lesson in moderation and appreciation.

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  35. Joanne Young ElliottAugust 9, 2011 at 10:15 PM

    Nice one. I love:
    " I’m not sure if it is to savor them
    as I never did in my youth,
    or just to make such moments last longer."

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  36. Henry ClemmonsAugust 9, 2011 at 11:14 PM

    Excellent point of view and write. Great tempo and message.

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  37. UnknownAugust 9, 2011 at 11:44 PM

    I love this one, Joe, especially,

    "but they have also taught me to nibble
    and sip at life, as well as at
    the rippled and scarred bowl of you."

    What great images to sustain your theme :)

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  38. AnonymousAugust 10, 2011 at 5:53 AM

    Ah, this is lovely Joe! "the rippled and scarred bowl of you" what a line! You are savoring fine old wine here...the passion of youth is wonderful...but so is the slower, savoring of the deeper, richer flavor of maturity. Excelsior!

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  39. TashtooAugust 10, 2011 at 7:12 AM

    Slow and steady wins the race...if we took the Tortoise and the Hare a little more seriously as children, perhaps we wouldn't race through those early years, ravishing and consuming. (Good words choices, eh?) Another real and wonderful write, friend...but I think I already told you that! You be the host with the most, Joe! Awesome intro tonight as well :)

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  40. Shah WhartonAugust 10, 2011 at 7:29 AM

    I really appreciated this - ;D Shah .X

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  41. AnonymousAugust 10, 2011 at 8:18 AM

    A great read Joe.
    As someone long past being a 'rapacious predator' I'm now doing my very best to slow life down and enjoy each moment.

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  42. emmaAugust 10, 2011 at 9:54 AM

    Wonderful expression, and something that I think most of us can relate to. Seems like we all start out trying to devour until we figure out it doesn't really yield the results we want. Great piece...I love the way you use this straightforward language making your words appear simple, yet underneath there is a powerful often profound message. Much enjoyed!

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  43. signed...bkmAugust 10, 2011 at 1:30 PM

    Glad you posted it...the chunks of life bitten off in youth..to the point of choking...we mellow, we learn to sip and savor...very nice Joe...bkm

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  44. UnknownAugust 10, 2011 at 1:34 PM

    I ADORE this. You convey the learning curve of a man for whom the world was an oyster, smooth and salty and satisfying. Love it.

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  45. UnknownAugust 10, 2011 at 3:47 PM

    I loved this. We are always in such a hurry, aren't we? I adored this part: "the rippled and scarred bowl of you" --- amazing imagery =) Thanks for the read.

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  46. VictoriaAugust 10, 2011 at 6:03 PM

    Joe, you make a fine host and I'm glad the ladies "teased" (or was it coerced) you into sharing this poem. Enjoy nibbling! :0)

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  47. Rosemary Nissen-WadeAugust 10, 2011 at 11:34 PM

    I love it! (Having reached a certain maturity myself, lol.)

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  48. AnonymousAugust 11, 2011 at 12:55 AM

    A lovely, lyrical poem with mature sentiments.
    Love the growth in this!

    Lady Nyo...flows beautifully.

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  49. AnonymousAugust 11, 2011 at 11:04 AM

    This was sweet. It seems to describe the journey of most men.

    Myrna
    (mydailyspirit.net)

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  50. rmpWritingsAugust 11, 2011 at 12:35 PM

    is it that strength and hunger have been depleted or has the passage of time and acquisition of knowledge simply open up your eyes to the fact that time moves too quickly not to relish that which you have?

    such a tasty and poignant poem. really lovely.

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