Essence

I started to write this poem a few weeks ago and stopped after the first two verses.  I was sitting in a restaurant and a beautiful young woman walked in.  As I observed the moment I could feel my self attracted to her.  She was both gorgeous and filled with the freshness of life.  Yet at the same time the Being within me prompted the realization that her body, her looks and her apparent age were all of this physical world. 

My contemplation reminded me that all that we see on this world are projections from the world of forms.  The story of Plato's cave speaks of this.  The central idea is that what we long for here is the rememberance of the essence, the spiritual form, behind that which we see.  This is why we are so enticed by the allure of the material world through wants, yet no matter how much we acquire we will never truly be happy.

Today I finished the poem.  Whilst walking through a mall I was reminded of the earlier poem and finished it off as the experience resolved to completion for me.  Enjoy.

Essence

I sense I’m drawn to timelessness,
in young and those born new.
The forms beyond the surface,
the essence I pursue.

Is the spell of beauty,
love’s aesthetic of beyond?
Forms on projected surface,
essence for which I long.

The dazzle of material,
logo’s luring sweetened brand,
enticing sense of essence,
grasped by the shadowed hand.

Wandering shopping’s frenzy,
eye contact less than rare.
Do you share your Divinity,
with the essence that is there?

(c) Copyright 2009, Carmien Owen