dVerse Poets – Poetics – Impermanence
Merril at dVerse has invited us to write a poem about impermanence.
Photo: fractalenlightenment.com
“Is not impermanence the very fragrance of our days?” Rainer Maria Rilke
Fleeting
Once
I went out
to watch the western sky collapse
into the evanescent velvet of night,
fleeting as each other,
a simple reminder
that all is death while
all is resurrection,
cycles of light and life,
a constancy of letting go,
in the knowledge that
nothing is the same tomorrow
nor can ever be.
As day folds into new night,
all is annica,
all is.
©Paul Vincent Cannon
Note: Annica (Pali) is the teaching in Buddhism that all is impermanent. But all religions and much philosophy since the earliest times have referenced impermanence.
Paul, pvcann.com
Another way of saying “what goes around comes around” ? We are all just a blip in the passage of time!
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Indeed, the cycle of life. Thank you Beverly.
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Nice line about the day folding into night.
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That was a standout line for me as well.
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Thank you too Liz.
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Beautifully written. I especially liked this part: “all is death while
all is resurrection.” Today being Ash Wednesday, that is a timely phrase to meditate on!
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Yes, I love Ash Wednesday, thank you so much for reflecting and sharing.
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Beautifully written.
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Many thanks indeed.
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Well painted image, Paul! Thank you for sharing, on this Ash Wednesday, too. Michael
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Yes, has been a good day here, thank you Michael.
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Great news, Paul! Enjoy every day to the max. Its worth to do. Michael
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I will, you too Michael 🙂
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This poem was beautiful even as it had a clarity like prose driving the point home. Poem used a buddhist word even as comments reminded the relevance of it being posted on ash wednesday. Truly a symphony for grand praise beyond the hands of the mere poet even as he set the stage for this orchestra.
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Well that is high praise, thank you very much indeed. It obviously spoke to you, thank you for sharing that.
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It’s always nice to run into a poem that you have to sit with for awhile. This is definitely one. The image and meaning are crystal clear, but the reminder they offer is worth spending a good deal of time ruminating on.
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Thank you for sharing how this spoke to you, and for your thoughtful response too, and it is really wonderful to hear of ruminating, thank you for setting with this.
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Well said, Shaun Jex! That was my reaction as well.
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Nice to know Liz, thank you.
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Yes. Love the ending.
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Paul, this is such a beautiful reflective verse! And your use of the Pali word “annica” is so apt.
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Thank you for the wonderful response Punam, and so glad you enjoyed it.
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You are welcome, Paul.
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Love the focus on both death and resurrection … the constant circling…
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Yes, often referred to as little deaths and resurrections daily too, it is amazing when we see it and lift beyond the material of life, thank you Bjorn for sharing.
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This is really beautiful Paul–simple and eloquent at the same time. It’s a poem that while talking of all being impermanent, yet lingers.
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That is a wonderful,thought, lingering even so, many thanks Merril for those encouraging words.
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You’re very welcome.
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Eloquent is a good word for this poem.
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That is very kind VJ thank you.
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Welcome, Paul.
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I agree with VJ, eloquent. A beautiful poem, Paul.
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Thank you very much for that Amy
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Love this. My favourite lines
“to watch the western sky collapse
into the evanescent velvet of night”
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I must admit that they are mine too, they were also the first to pop up in my mind. Thank you for sharing that.
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I love this poem – very true – but a somber reminder of our mortality
>
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Yes, the reality the world pays to ignore.
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