I wrote this poem for a spoken word project for my Performing Arts class. I had been searching for inspiration, and I finally found it in the song “Saturn” by Sleeping At Last. This poem was originally meant to be spoken over the song, but I think it can be just as beautiful when read.
I pay enough attention to notice the world burning around me, but I can’t do anything about it.
I see the fire and I can feel the heat and I know it’s far too dangerous but I still want to clutch the flame and never let it go.
I miss the reassurance of my youth.
But now I just walk along counting the bricks below my feet and wishing that by staring down at the pavement I could somehow bring time to a stop.
This is why I like to sleep.
I sometimes need to not be anything.
I love the irony in the world and how it’s favorite form of entertainment is watching people destroy themselves and then call it “art”.
Do you see the hypocrisy in the way that they are also scraping their knees on the floor in secret?
I would like to think that I am not the only one refusing to extinguish the fire in my mind for the amusement of others, but it seems I am quite lonely.
I feel for the world. I feel this weight on my shoulders that I’m supposed to help those around me and I don’t know how.
Constantly connecting the dots between the stars trying to make sense of it all.
I’m waiting for an avalanche of change.
A change of heart because sure the world’s broken, but it’s home.
How truly beautiful it is that we even exist.
I wish people could see that. Everyone is blinded by the chaos of everyday and the violence of war and the desire to please everyone that they lose sight of who we really are.
When was the last time you tuned out the world and just looked at the stars?
I think it’s the closest I’ve ever come to bringing time to a stop, because sure the light still changes position and eventually the sun rises as time never stays still for long.
But for a moment nothing else in the world matters and we are simply humans on a tiny planet in an infinite universe.
There are things much bigger than us.
Stop tearing the one world we have apart.
Stop using ignorance as an excuse to deny the smoldering of the earth and let’s raise our children with fires in their minds and love in their hearts.
Open your eyes to the world and find familiarity, find family.
Maybe then will the world find its peace.
