Tuesday, September 18, 2007

gifting away----Writers Island



mundane stuff bought at vague places

passed on to faceless people
how much does that count for gifts?

rare are those who give it any thought
about what you like, indulging you
no end. clothes, jewellery, trinkets

count for nothing. that particular song,
much leafed through pages of books
selected with love, take you back

to reminiscences visited so long ago.
cherish I do, times when taking off from
everything, you listen without judgement

to all I have to say, my words broken, disjointed.
journeying neither from here to there, not
making any sense to anyone but you?

“for someone who has no time, you have no dearth of it for me”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Is it mushy? I am not too sure. I do agree it is vague.

Read more on
gifted writings here...

37 comments:

Rob Kistner said...

Gautami - It is sensitive and gentle... and very lovely! ;)

Anonymous said...

the vagueness makes it intriguing

J. Andrew Lockhart said...

I like vague - really. I think it's just right for what you're saying. Another wonderful poem. :)

delhidreams said...

“for someone who has no time, you have no dearth of it for me”

is it mushy? i don't know. but it IS me.
love.

Steve said...

Quite sensual in a way. Beautifully put!

Beaman said...

A delicate poem which both criticizes and laments. Definitely not mushy but quite powerful instead.

floots said...

not mushy - just sincere
sentiment honestly expressed is a good thing
it is sentimentality at its most sugary which can turn to mush
i liked this especially that ending
thank you

Jo said...

Not vague or mushy in the least. I love the last stanza. Well done!

Gill said...

It's true, how much thought is really put into a gift?
But "that particular song" that takes you back, what better gift is that? Time travel, wrapped up in memory. It is connected to your deepest self. Wonderful!
xo
Blue

Anonymous said...

Time is the greatest gift.

lissa said...

Doesn't sound mushy to me. Sounds like it describe many things about gift giving.

sister AE said...

the more i read through this, the more i like it. i hear it move from the gifts of throw-away tokens, through a couple of ways that an investment of time are more precious gifts. definitely sentimental, but there's nothing wrong with that!

dsnake1 said...

i think it's a sincere, honest write. and it's not vague. :)

Lea said...

Your words move me, take me to that place where gifts are truly given and received... "not making any sense to anyone but you?" I love that line...

Russell CJ Duffy said...

i like the vagueness of the piece, the way you can attach your own meanings and layers of emotion to suit you, the reader.

Annie Jeffries said...

It did not feel mushy at all to me. In fact, it immediately made me
think of Jo's poem on the ceremony attached to unwrapping a gift and
the rules for showing pleasure, not disappointment. Your poem
illustrated the need. For me, the two fit together beautifully.

paris parfait said...

No, it's not too mushy. And what a gift it is for someone to just listen and really hear you; to actually pay attention and be in the moment with you. Wonderful poem!

Lahari Chatterji said...

I liked the last line the most.

Tumblewords: said...

No. Not mushy. Thoughtful and touching.

Keith's Ramblings said...

Not mushy not even vague! Whimsical

Cassiopeia Rises said...

gautami- vague, how so? This is lovely poem about the thoughtless gifting that goes in the world. I think it shows pity and sorrow.
I find it beautiful.
This was a hard one. "The Gift", the gift of what? This was a soul searching and far reaching prompt and you found an answer.
Great work.

love-bd

Anonymous said...

The gift of self is all anyone could desire.

Rose

xo

polona said...

it's a lovely poem and beautifully expressed.

Jessica said...

I think the voice in the first couple of stanzas is very directive and specific. It's as if it is saying, this is not a gift, but this other more important stuff is. I like it!

Deb said...

I don't think it's vague...it leaves room for the reader to attach their own set of circumstances...to what is a common issue...

Mary Timme said...

There are those for whom I have to get a gift and there are those, I Want to give a gift. Both are in my life, but one does not take up my time, for their time is a gift.

Anonymous said...

The gift of being listened to - yes. Well done.

awareness said...

Hi Gautami....

it reminds me of ee cummings.

well done!

jonas said...

i liked what the poem has to say about the thoughtlessness of gift giving. who really takes any time to know what someone would appreciate as a gift. a song, a song is a great gift. pages flipped through to find that one poem, that's meaningful.

mks said...

Sometimes the simplest of gift - the gift of time, of listening, of oneself are the rarest and yet most appealing. I really enjoyed this piece.

Unique Designs from Zazzle said...

picking out gifts can be fun if you know the giftee and put a little creativity in it -- otherwise I'd agree that it can be a contrived exercise

Anonymous said...

Having someone really listen to us is a true gift, I think. I liked this.

Paul said...

I think it draws a good distinction between gifts that matter a lot and gifts that don't matter so much -

Anonymous said...

not mushy ... lovely and oh so true ... to give one's time is the greatest gift

Clare said...

Hi Gautami! I really like this -- it's not mushy at all. You did a great job expressing the importance and genuine gift of presence and being mindful with others.
:)

Anonymous said...

ou know when I read this poem it was like I could hear your voice - or what I think is your voice reading it.
A very nice voice.
A very nice poem.
Namaste

Anonymous said...

I saw it not as mushy, but as a honest assessment of relationships.