Summary

The text is a poetic reflection on the intangible power of attention in communication and human connection.

Abstract

The content is a contemplative piece that uses a riddle to explore the concept of attention as a form of connection that can be held without physical touch. It describes how attention can be fleeting yet powerful, captured through words and imagery, and how it can affect someone emotionally without any physical interaction. The author personifies attention as something that can be held and lost, likening the act of capturing someone's focus to a game or a riddle with no obvious solution. The text suggests that attention is a delicate yet potent force that can be manipulated through thoughtful engagement, and while it can be momentary, it is a meaningful form of connection.

Opinions

The author believes that attention is a valuable commodity that can be captured through skilled writing and storytelling.
There is an underlying sentiment that attention is fragile and can be easily lost if not nurtured with care.
The text implies that holding someone's attention is akin to a strategic game, requiring thought and effort.
The author suggests that true engagement comes from winning the heart, not just capturing the mind.
There is a sense of pride in the ability to hold attention without physical contact, emphasizing the power of words and ideas.
The poem reflects on the transient nature of attention, acknowledging that it can be fleeting despite the depth of the connection it creates.

Attention

I was asked, to answer, What can I hold without touching it?

It may be fleeting, but I can do what you ask

As you read what I write, on the screen in your hand

Don’t turn away, read till the end

You’ll find the answer, in the sentence ahead

I can hold your attention, in the palm of my hand

If only briefly, in the words that I pen

I did not touch you, not with my touch

You felt not my hold nor my hand on your heart

You gotten held up, just to see what I’d say

As I hold your attention, with the games people play

For a moment I held you, with no touch by my hands

As I’ve answered the riddle, you assumed had no cracks

No space was violated, just some thought and some time

I know it was fleeting but your attention was mine

Had I wanted to hold you, to touch you with more

I would have whispered a warning, for just you to know

I’ve crushed many a fickle hearts without lifting a hand

no touch was required, just the odes in my head

with my dew that is fire, and my song as my scent

the lure of my breeze, I could make you bend

Alas, I won’t tease you, nor play to your whims

as you’ve done with your riddles, a modern day Sphinx

The morning my fire, the noon holds my scent

come the night, I am weary, I am all but spent

If you want my attention, you must do better than that,

’cause to hold my attention, you must first win my heart.