Pass The Parcel

Entry by: vinita18

23rd December 2015

Legacy Of Learnings

The sounds drift in. The buildings are
remembered.
The life of the city never lets go nor do you
Ever want it to.

Wallace Stevens (1879-1955)

I say this to every hearing mother
I say this to philosophers
I say this to wise men and not
I say this to untraceable ethers: Pass the parcel.

Pass on the design of life
The spirit that rose with you every morning when you stepped out of bed
Pass on the heart that knew how to carry on
Pass on the perceptions gained over dykes of pain.

Split the atoms of things that happen, into two -
One for now and one for times to come
The mind might teeter at the edifice of endurance
But save solemn imprints for those still in the womb.

Pass the parcel of your learnings
Make an easy passage
That 'they' may know without knowing
The unspoken, untrodden, unseen...all that you have been.

And let something remain of your presence here
Something more significant than blood
A secret answer to a secret question
A preciouswakefulness, a dream within a dream.

Pass on the pearls, Spread the light
Leave a trace : Clear voice, clean intent
Fill empty spaces with goodness
A continuous sphere of life, rolled time and time again, but unbent.

*********

Marker 1

What I liked about this piece: The original word choices and phrasing.
Favourite sentence: Pass on the pearls, Spread the light
Feedback: I was a bit confused by the quote at the beginning, but I guess that's a failing in the formatting that is available. Made me look up a poet I didn't know anyway!
I feel a bit uncomfortable marking a poem as it's not an area I know much about. However this did talk to me personally - the need to pass on good things to my own kids.

Marker 2

What I liked about this piece: kind thoughts
Favourite sentence: Pass the parcel of your learnings
Feedback: I cannot see the link between Wallace poem and this work.
Is it just a little pretentious and mystifying?

It is for me I'm afraid.

Marker 3

What I liked about this piece: Although Wallace Stevens thought explanations of his poems spoiled things I liked the fact that I understood what you were saying in this piece. A memorable and thought provoking piece and a highly creative response to the title
Favourite sentence: There were no weak sentences but if I have to choose a favourite I would choose the key sentence - 'I say this to untraceable ethers: Pass the parcel.'
Feedback: Brilliant work. I think Wallace Stevens would have approved your meditative, philosophical tone and agreed with your advice to pass on what each of us has learned/imagined we've learned about the nature of reality to those around us and to future generations.