avatarNancy Stephan

Summary

The poem "My Place" describes a reflective journey home where the speaker discovers a serene and introspective space filled with natural beauty and a profound, yet unsettling, sense of inner light.

Abstract

"My Place" is a poem that takes the reader through the speaker's covert journey to their home, a place initially imagined with idyllic features such as fruit trees, cottontails, and an owl. Upon arrival, the speaker finds their abode to be a solemn and verdant setting, with a fragrant lilac bush and blue butterflies. As they peek through the window, expecting to see familiar domestic scenes, they are instead met with an overwhelming sense of light that is felt rather than seen, leading to a fearful retreat. The speaker flees through various terrains, encountering a deer, and leaves behind a home that seems to embody both a sense of peace and an intense, almost otherworldly, illumination.

Opinions

  • The speaker holds a romanticized view of their home, imagining it as a tranquil, pastoral haven.
  • There is a sense of disconnection or unfamiliarity with the self, as the speaker follows and observes themselves as if they were another person.
  • The speaker experiences a moment of transcendence or epiphany as the home fills with an unseen light, suggesting a deeper, possibly spiritual, awakening.
  • The overwhelming nature of this inner light causes discomfort and fear, prompting an escape from the profound introspection it induces.
  • The presence of the deer, undisturbed by the speaker's presence, contrasts with the speaker's own unsettled reaction to the light, implying a harmony with nature that the speaker has not yet achieved.

POETRY

My Place

DEP Poetry

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I followed myself home the other day to see where I lived. Don’t worry. I was crafty. In and out of bushes, I was like a cat creeping.

All the way, I imagined my yard with mango and peach trees, cottontails puttering about, and an ol’ hoot owl hooting.

But my place was a solemn place, my yard a verdant yard, my tree was a fragrant lilac bush with a few blue butterflies fluttering.

I crept to my window and watched to see if I’d put on the kettle, queue up the turntable, light a fire, curl up with a book, or chat with someone invisible.

Instead, the whole place began to fill with light, slowly at first. Not the kind of light you see, but the kind you feel on your skin. And it frightened me, so I ran.

Without looking back, I ran through woods and creeks and bushes and hills. And I passed a lone deer, unbothered by my presence, heading toward my place bounding.

Dancingelephantspress
Dep Poetry
Poetry
Spirituality
Self-awareness
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