Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Duet to Proximity

I would venture to say
I’ve spent many nights alone .
Alone feels good sometimes.
allowing aloneness does not.
What part of this insecurity
shows its face?

Where goes the confidence
I own when I am near?

People become my soul.
I become a reflection,
or an invention, of what I see.
Who do I see when
there’s only me?

I can’t call it lonely.
I’ve spent many nights alone.
Alone feels good

sometimes.
—me strauss Letting me be

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, you're getting into some rich vulnerability. This is brave Liz. This is you growing deeper still. You are taking your own pulse. Getting to know your toes! I like this.

I too lose myself in others, I become them, to the loss of my own image. Somtimes I confuse people when I suddenly pull away to re-orient me.

I've often thought that the person I will love the most is the one with whom I can feel completely alone. Do you understand that?

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

David,
You always make total sense to me. This one is one of my favoires. It seemed like it wanted to be now.

Being separate and alone is as important as being togenterl We need that time to sort.

Anonymous said...

And sometimes the balance shifts one way or another for awhile. That's the hard part to explain to some very regular people. I never know how they do it, be on all the time. Maybe they're just faking. I can't fake.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

No Garnet.
They/re not faking. They don't have as much sensitivity. That's all. Some people are blesses with more levelness to their lives emotionally. Few of them are musicians.

Anonymous said...

Liz, I genuinely enjoy alone especially when a braying harpy followed my most recent with.

I think I understand you, though. Alone leaves a lot of time to ask questions and only yourself to answer them.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hi Doug,
Sometimes I truly enjoy alone--more and more as I grow older and become more reflective writer. But not always . . .

smiles,
liz

Anonymous said...

Wow
Came in here to say something and got thrown by the comments.
If you get completely 'in synch' with someone, a mirror of them, then when you pull away it feels like rejection, to them, like the sands shifted.
Will have to read Garnet now!

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Cheryl,
You won't be sorry that you started reading Garnet. He's a special one through and through.
smiles,
liz

Anonymous said...

Garnet!
"Getting to know your toes!"

Oooh, I LOVE it!

and Liz...
Ditto
You ARE growing deeper still.

I can connect, as I have been doing the same: exploring the secret solo side of self, writing it down, and then putting my foot in my mouth!

LOL

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Hey you two. I suppose I should fess up now. I'm only just sharing who I am.

I wrote this poem in 1982.

Smiles,
Liz

Anonymous said...

Well you are doing the same again.
Its good to go back.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Yeah, Cheryl,
There's no place like home is there.
smiles,
Liz

Anonymous said...

Liz,
I like the introspection, the defining of alone and lonely, the taking apart of words and the feelings they stand for. It's not easy always to take those innermost speculations and set them out upon the table in front of company. I like. But you know me, I always like a good autopsy. The inside is always the most interesting side. Outsides are only coverings.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Thank you, Ned,
I had no idea it was an autopsy. Here I thought it was an analysis. And all of these people thought it was some sort of poetry. Go figure. How confused we all are!

smiles,
Liz

Anonymous said...

You know me Liz, I like odd words. Of course it is poetry, exposing poetry.
Maybe it's not an autopsy, just exploratory surgery.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Oh Ned,
I'm sorry. I was smiling when I said that. I liked your choice of words so very much. :)
Liz

Anonymous said...

I agree with this post.

But I like being alone too much. :D I almost have to force myself to go out and socialise and see old friends sometimes.

"ME" Liz Strauss said...

Yes,
Lis.
I am very mich the same way sometimes. I get into my cocoon and I want to stay there where there is no stress or noise that comes from trying to negoiate in the world of other peopls.