Womb Man

[Poldy]

Cocooned in my room
Another cold day
Add another cliché
To my resume

Nothing can save you
'Cept work well done
Characteristic activity
That's difficult but fun

That's somebody's dream
But I don't know whose
If it were mine
I'd have better shoes

I'd be a man
Newer than Cicero
And be six feet tall
Like James Monroe

Can't tell you the rest
Though you might be moved
It turns out this message
Was not approved

I got too curious
About the other side
Fell into the unknown
Might even have died

Belly of the whale's
A fine place to land
Take the time to reflect
On where you sleep and stand

Soon self-annihilatin'
Toward some stranger place
That we might be in
If we weren't in space

Enter dust and ashes
Return as pure light
I had to knock it off
To get my head right

[RhymeLovingWriter]

Your writing of late (since the wreck??) seems more reflective than usual. Or is it because we've turned over another calendar year?

Whatever your inspiration...it's good to see your name in the queue and ramble alongside.

[AlexandratheLate]

This poem has so much self-reflection that one must read it carefully to see which way you take us. Beautiful poem. Thank you poet.

[Parkinsonspoet]

There is a lot of darkness here and I must confess I am curious about the message not approved

[Poldy]

Thank you for taking the time to comment. I think (hope) that the "message" passage works in at least two ways.

"Work well done" might not be approved as a worthwhile pursuit by people who value leisure.

Being "saved" by "work well done" might not be approved as a message when someone who defines themselves by their occupation finds there is more to them than just their job.

And there is some darkness in the poem, but I tried to present it as a difficult but necessary step along the way to something greater rather than as a destination.

For example, Jonah's time in the belly of the whale is a difficult trial, but it's not the end of his story. He emerges better for the experience because he's then able to fulfill his purpose in a way that wasn't possible before he learned a lesson about who was in charge.

Just ideas. I would welcome your comments.

[AlexandratheLate]

I took the inclusion of Cicero and Monroe as ‘checks and balances’ for equality for all people, ie, the rich, the poor, the uneducated, the educated etc and how men in power seem to have to fight the desire for power and the more noble desire as equality for all, more of an inner struggle to do the right thing which for me tied in with Jonah. Jonah was afraid to warn the militaristic Ninevites and fled in the opposite direction until he was swallowed by a large fish and was given the opportunity to reflect and rethink his hasty earlier decision. After being vomited out, he did go and warn the Ninevites although he thought God should destroy them. So he would have to learn another lesson on mercy and giving people the opportunity to change.

I’m sorry this is long but my connection was that basically we all have to work hard on being better people even when we think we are basically good. There’s always room for improvement.

[Poldy]

That's an interesting observation, Paula. I can't say for certain that any changes you've noticed were due to the wreck. It was an extreme experience, though, and has definitely had a lasting effect on me. I just have no clear notion of what that effect is yet.