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New Territory (The Potential of Wishing)

What wisdom in wishing?
A wish can't alter things
wishes aren't changes

Idle assertions of hope
meagre affectations
having no obvious effect

Yet I dwell here
often
in the longing
beside the hoping
amidst the wish

It's fruitless
but it carries beauty
a seed
may perhaps
lead to action

stepping from wish
to accomplishing
accompanied
by a small ray of promise
pointing to the dawn
of potential

such potency
such poetry in wishing
such lurid fantasies
ushering in possibility
hinting at refreshed realities

enticing brave exploration 
of new territory

dipping a toe
in the sea of tomorrow

whispering of survival
singing of movement
from wish to deed

from aspiration endeavour springs
beseeching effort
sweetly asking
fervently hoping
for freedom
from
the wish

 

— faerybeki, May 20, 2009

About This Poem

About the Author

Country/Region: GBR

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Critiques

Seren

Seren

17 years ago

Absolutely beautiful

I like the wistfulness of this ... it feels like your let us in on a daydream you had of wishing ... but not only that you explore the changing of the wish into an aspiration and hope for it to become a reality .. well done Love JayC x
faerybeki

faerybeki

17 years ago

Thank you JayC for your

Thank you JayC for your lovely comment, so glad you enjoyed the poem and you sum it up beautifully. I've always been a wisher it's only in the last few years I've become more proactive in the fulfillment of them! Thanks again JayC, much love b x
Cloudthings

Cloudthings

17 years ago

Wonderful & well deserving of 5 sparkling, twinkling jewels in y

Wooohooo, I do love this, my addled brain had to focus back at times (more about my state of health than your writing I think)... Wonderful & well deserving of 5 sparkling, twinkling jewels in your sky my darling one. I often say that hope is toxic for me, leads me to places of such insecurity & anguish & to often it has been rewarded with disapointment... I have come to practice just choosing & leaping, some may think this foolish, but I feel it is better for me than the limbo fo hope or wishes that are so ineffectual.. here youhave explored it so wonderfully... I am loving your progress Beki.. Yum! This is a joy to read & LOVE the title(s) really grabs the attention of the potential reader ay yay ayayayay yay! xxx~ Anni ~~~ "... sometimes I hear my voice - And it's been here .... Silent All These Years" ~Tori Amos.
faerybeki

faerybeki

17 years ago

Wooohooo, thanks Anni, what

Wooohooo, thanks Anni, what a wonderful comment, interesting that you had to focus back at times, when I read this one back i did wonder how easy it would be to follow, so it might not be your addled brain lol Was actually thinking of doing this as spoken word, but need to get the hang of recording on my 'puter, just to say my yoga teacher pointed me to this amazing website 'Poetry Archive', loads of poets reading their own work, Kipling,Tennyson, Betjeman, and modern stuff too, absolutely fab!! well worth a look :) and almost as addictive as Neo lol if only there were more hours in the day eh? Especially as I'm going to investigate the singing group thing, would be amazing if I could take Omi, do it together, will keep you posted :) I'm with you on the choosing and leaping thing Anni, as I said to JayC I'm far more proactive in the wishing now, more aware that if you want your life to be a certain way you actually have to DO something to help it happen, and that is what I was trying to explore in the poem, I guess, I'm glad it was somewhat effective. and thanks Anni for that bit about my progression, I do feel like I'm growing as a writer, this is such an inspiring arena but I fear I have some way to go before I reach the dizzying heights of your skies honey ;)which I do so love to visit (more scientist poems please!! chuckle ;) ) Do hope your health is improving and you're letting yourself rest. Big hugs and much love b xxx
Cloudthings

Cloudthings

17 years ago

wishes are good seeds as long as we act on them & step into the

So much in this one to respond to ... lucky I am forced to stay home (worrisome financially, but it is as it is, I will recover on all levels) so I can respond, so yes I am resting, I have no choice at the moment... All this time for Neopoet, I will be having withdrawals when I get back to the real world (I used to vrave it as it was!). My dearest Beki all of that yes, though I do a gree with our friend below, it's true wishes are good seeds as long as we act on them & step into the possibilities we create, I stand corrected, but I don't think your poem denied that they can be good under some circumstances, I got it. Yippi about the singing, yes please keep me posted. Oh & please don't suggest you are at a standard less than me, it just isn't true, I have a long way to go too, I have been writing most of my life, but never before for anyone else to see except the occassional song, I feel I am progressing also being here. Learning to act on the feedback in an arena that has always been strictly my own solitary space, it's been necessary to have that for me, one place in my life where someone else could not tell me how to be or how to be it, one place I could not be told I was "wrong" because I kept it hidden & to myself... but for years now that hasn't been necessary so I am learning to open & it has been mercifully safe here to expose my writing for the first time, more than safe, it has been a joy as you know, to find others, like you & all our lovely tribe who walk with us so supportively here... Oh I have gone "off"... Anyway I often feel humbled by other writers here & by you as well at times, there is no comparing dear one, we all have much to learn from each other. You have to let me know if the scientist poems get too much then, I worry it gets boring, though I do try to vary things. Much love to you faery one xxx~ Anni ~~~ "... sometimes I hear my voice - And it's been here .... Silent All These Years" ~Tori Amos.
faerybeki

faerybeki

17 years ago

Anni, I love it when you

Anni, I love it when you 'go off' babe :) can't express how I love these conversations under poems! I was the same with my writing, never for others to read and just written simply from the need, not much tweaking just getting it down, and out! and yes! the joy, saftey and support here is awesome and I'm sure it's helping my writing, all of our writing :) you're right I shouldn't compare :) It might perhaps have to fall to another to tell you if the scientist poems get too much hon, I could read them all day long lol! Glad in a way you are forced to rest Anni, I don't think you'd be inclined to allow yourself to if it wasn't, you're such a trooper, I can tell ;) Do so know what you mean about craving Neo hon, I'm panicking about how I'll cope when Omi and I are on holiday next month... two weeks with no Neopoet, what wil I do?! (write lots, rest and lots of yoga for me, and fun times on the beach with Naomi and her grandparents! not so bad after all, but will miss you all terribly!) keep getting well sweet lady, much love b xxx ps, love, love ,LOVE your new pic!! :)
P

paparazii

17 years ago

A wish

Isn't a wish caused by being inspired with all that one sees around? just think it's one of the basic reason why we all wish. The only wisdom that is mastered is that of the one's that inspires you and yes like you've said--it's like a seed, that's to bring up a tree and a fruit Loved the lines It’s fruitless but it carries beauty a seed may perhaps lead to action dipping a toe in the sea of tomorrow (Another good resemblance of wishing) It's such a great poem Beki, i loved it very much, it really reflects much about wishes, dreams, hope and all that's expected to come. Hey Good work- Love and light Ephy
Cloudthings

Cloudthings

17 years ago

You are right, wishes are the sunshine to pull the buds forth

Ephy, I must acknowledge you for this, as I point out above, you are right of course, I love this line too "dipping a toe in the sea of tomorrow", as well as the other one you admire of Beki's lovely write. I guess it is really about having the inspiration, then acting on it. We sometimes wish alone, because we feel helpless to create a circumstance we desire for ourselves, I tried to erradicate that tendency by just doing, but I realise it is about balance & your point here is humble & beautiful. well done~ Anni ~~~ "... sometimes I hear my voice - And it's been here .... Silent All These Years" ~Tori Amos.
P

paparazii

17 years ago

Thanky Hey

Thanks for being with me on that point, i always think that most of how i use my language is figurative, but now i know, you guys here do really understand me. Pleasant days and good nights Pap
faerybeki

faerybeki

17 years ago

Hi Ephy, ndatenda :)glad you

Hi Ephy, ndatenda :)glad you liked this one. And as Anni said you are right, there is of course some beauty in the wish itself, and I hope this came through a little in the poem. but for me the real beauty is in the inspiration that comes from the wish, the decision to act, to DO something positive, to co-create with the universe to help the wishes come true :) Thanks for stopping here shanwari, always pleased to know what you think and if you've enjoyed, much love to you hon as always b xxx
professor

professor

17 years ago

I really enjoyed this one Beki

Although its message is simple and often expressed the way you have done it here is very effective and there are some great lines. I loved the two verses below as well, of course, "dipping a toe in the sea of tomorrow". Yet I dwell here often in the longing beside the hoping amidst the wish It’s fruitless but it carries beauty a seed may perhaps lead to action So what do i feel you might consider revising i hear you thinking? Well possibly the opening two verses which read just a tad like a dictionary definition and suffer a little from being followed by those two strong verses above. I know you want them to come across quite punchy and to some extent they do but perhaps they could be more so. Something may be like: What wisdom in wishing? Wishes don't change things Because wishes don't act Their musings meagre affectations of idle hope I also think that both you and Anni felt it got lost a little and having reread it several times i think perhaps the reason for this is that there is a rather protracted ending. The verse below for example feels a little like an embroidering aside which acts to halt the precipitous flow of thought to the poems conclusion. Perhaps you might want to consider pruning a little. "from aspiration endeavour springs beseeching effort sweetly asking fervently hoping for freedom from the wish" As always just musing and thoughts and opinions. I liked the poem very much. Keith x
faerybeki

faerybeki

17 years ago

Hi Keith, as always your

Hi Keith, as always your musings/thoughts/opinions are so very welcome :) I think you're right perhaps some tweaking of this one is necessary, will address it when I have some time. I'm really glad you liked it though Keith, many thanks and much love b x PS hope you're enjoying this gorgeous Bank Holiday weather :) x
ID

Ink Dragon

17 years ago

Beki,

your words are magic, they never fail to draw me in. Feels good to be reading them again! Much love, ~Nina
faerybeki

faerybeki

17 years ago

Yay Nina! Oh how I’ve

Yay Nina! Oh how I've missed you dear poetess :) Thanks for the huge compliment, what a wonderful thing to write, and I too feel good to be reading you here :) hope you've been well and all projects are going positively? see you anon Nina, I'm straight off to your space, I've no doubt you'll be back with some magic of your own! welcome back and a big whoop! from me, much love b xxx
Candlewitch

Candlewitch

16 years 10 months ago

an enchanting

trail of thought. I enjoyed the theme and can find no criticism with your execution. Great job. I tip my hat to you. Always, Cat
faerybeki

faerybeki

16 years 10 months ago

Thanks Cat, I’m happy you

Thanks Cat, I'm happy you enjoyed it. I keep meaning to read you Cat, I often come accross your comments and we nearly always agree :) I've no doubt I'd enjoy your work too. will make time soon, much love Beki xx