Endless Sighs

Summary

The poem "Endless Sighs" explores the complexities of empathy, where the speaker experiences an intense connection with others' emotions but struggles with the burden of feeling too much.

Abstract

"Endless Sighs" is a contemplative piece that delves into the paradox of deep empathy. The speaker describes a profound sensitivity to the emotions and thoughts of others, likening themselves to a SETI satellite dish that cannot help but pick up every signal. This heightened perception is both a blessing and a curse; it brings the pleasure of connection and the pain of carrying the weight of others' feelings. The poem reflects on the solitude that comes with such sensitivity, questioning the alternative of emotional isolation. Ultimately, the speaker would rather endure the fatigue of empathy than live without it, preferring to be a 'seer who sees' rather than someone who is emotionally blind. The piece is a response to a prompt by J.D. Harms on the theme of "frustrated history," acknowledging the weariness that comes from an intimate, albeit challenging, connection with the emotional landscape of others.

Opinions

The speaker feels a deep, almost tangible connection to the emotions of others, which is both enriching and exhausting.
There is a sense of being overwhelmed by the emotional signals one picks up, akin to drowning in a sea of collective feelings.
The poem suggests that perception without the ability to filter or control it can be as frustrating as a misplaced talent or a beautiful song sung to the wrong tune.
The author seems to accept the burden of empathy as a fundamental part of their identity, despite its challenges.
The piece conveys a preference for the pain of empathy over the emptiness of emotional disconnection.
The author values the richness of experiencing a spectrum of human emotions, even when it is not their own, implying that this sensitivity is integral to their sense of self.

Endless Sighs

27 February 2021 Saturday Poetry Prompt: frustrated history

Didn’t see dead people, felt them though. Felt the heart beating against a membrane that separated their world from mine. Felt emotions. Like a dance across the waters — small waves breaking over me, again and again. A child feeling everything around him grows into an adult who picks up everyone’s thoughts and emotions like a fucking SETI satellite dish.

Oh yeah, there’s great pleasure in experiencing everyone’s feelings. In getting “the vibe” that shimmers and shakes across the very fabric of your mind and reminds you that you are not alone. Like we can forget.

Perception is like a winning horse in the wrong race. Beautiful lyrics sung to the wrong tune. You get to see it all happening but then what do you do with it? When you feel the pain that isn’t yours, the ache that belongs to someone else. Confusing to feel that tingling up and down your spine and find no one behind you - but yourself.

But then … what is the alternative? To be huddled but alone? To sit on a rock as waves break at your feet and never get a single message — never a thought that isn’t your own? I’d rather hear a chorus across the world; endless sighs and slaps and embarrassed laughs or anger shouted at no one standing near.

I’d rather be the seer who sees, than the man who wishes he could. Feel the hurt from someone I don’t know, then never feeling anything at all.

My reaction to a prompt from J.D. Harms about frustrating history. Something that gnaws at me and yet is a vital part of who I am. Change it? Never. But at times, it makes one weary.

Endless Sighs

Death Turns Sullen

20 February 2021 Saturday Poetry Prompt: exaggeration