Artificial Lights, Real Feelings

Summary

"Artificial Lights, Real Feelings" is a reflective poem that explores the interplay between reality and the emotional resonance of unrealized desires, set against the backdrop of a cityscape illuminated by artificial lights.

Abstract

The poem "Artificial Lights, Real Feelings" delves into the depths of human emotion, contrasting the cold silence of a city with the warmth of human connection. It narrates a journey of two individuals who find solace and a profound bond under the city's lights, which symbolize both a blinding shelter and a beacon revealing truths. The narrative touches on the struggle to perceive reality, the formation of an intimate, unspoken agreement between souls, and the haunting presence of past memories. The poem concludes with the pair embracing their imperfect emotions and stepping into a new understanding, transcending their pain. Following the poem, the author notes the absence of an intended commentary, reflecting on the poem's themes of inevitability and the futility of trying to control outcomes, suggesting that some events are destined to unfold as they should.

Opinions

The author believes that some experiences and connections are fated and transcend the need for explanation or the influence of external forces.
The city's artificial lights serve as a dual metaphor for both the concealment of truth and the illumination of genuine emotions.
There is a sense of resignation and acceptance in the face of life's unpredictability, as evidenced by the author's reaction to the lost commentary and the self-publication of the poem.
The poem suggests that certain emotional bonds are so profound that they exist beyond the constraints of time and physical reality.
The author implies that attempts to force or overly explain personal experiences can detract from their intrinsic meaning and impact.

A poem on the intersection of reality and wishful thinking

The silence of concrete entombs the city of wondrous struggles and hidden desires. In a moment, the flashing lights will reach us and chase our loneliness away.

These lights that blind us, became our shelter. Through them I first noticed your eyes, and you swaddled my racing heartbeat. In them, we sealed this unspoken soul pact.

Why did it take us so long to see the truth? An empty world awaits and we swear by the powers that tear us down, that we won’t forget each other.

Ghosts of memories tiptoe below us, dancing on the broken sidewalks that once shone under the flashing lights, singing a mournful lullaby only the two of us can hear.

Holding hands and standing on the edge of our imperfect feelings, we dive into the final rays of artificial light — emerging on the other side of pain.

Notes added after publication

I had written a quite long commentary following the poem, to explain some of the symbolism in it and how it relates to something in my life.

I can sum it up: This poem is about something that hasn’t happened yet, but that has also always been happening; so, whether it happens in reality or not, is of little significance at this point. Some things just happen the way they are supposed to happen, no matter how much we try to influence the outcome.

For some reason, the commentary didn’t go through. When I tried to recover it and re-submit the poem to the publication I originally intended to publish it in, it got self-published.

Maybe Medium or the universe or whatever else, was trying to make a point.

Don’t try to force things.

Point taken.