...Taste

P.O.E. Project 

Taste upon the vine
I took pleasure in the time
Eating the sweetness of the seed
Never caring of the thorns that made me bleed
Fell victim to the lust
I ignored the questions of trust
I have found myself thrust
Into situations beyond my control
Into the darkness beyond the knoll
Can’t find where I lost my mind
I know I am in a bind
Knowing it was all in my heart
The mistake I made was from the start
I was selfish in my desire
Now I have been burned by the fire…


Below is the poem of inspiration for the project  and my thoughts...

Emily Dickinson
​
'Tis so much joy! 'Tis so much joy! 
If I should fail, what poverty! 
And yet, as poor as I,
Have ventured all upon a throw! 
Have gained! Yes! Hesitated so—
This side the Victory! 

Life is but Life! And Death, but Death! 
Bliss is, but Bliss, and Breath but Breath! 
And if indeed I fail,
At least, to know the worst, is sweet! 
Defeat means nothing but Defeat,
No drearier, can befall! 

And if I gain! Oh Gun at Sea! 
Oh Bells, that in the Steeples be! 
At first, repeat it slow! 
For Heaven is a different thing,
Conjectured, and waked sudden in—
And might extinguish me! 


I used the end rhyme technique in this poem, as opposed to the mix of free verse, internal rhyme, and end rhyme styles that I usually play with.  Emily Dickenson has always been of my favorite poets; and I love the literary styles and word play she uses; as in this poem in which the person has thrown all caution to the wind upon a single chance to succeed.   It is the dream of life, the lottery that people play whether it is a lottery card or a chance at love.   She goes on to point out that the people in life that never bother to try “because I will just fail” are the dreariest of the dreamers, with nothing to dream or live for….  We may be overwhelmed at times, but in the end trying may lead to a happiness, even if you have failed many times at your goals. (it’s the journey, not the destination). 
 
My poem, while a dark satire of hope; taking pleasure in the physical and ignoring the impending realism that all that is there is the physical, and nothing more (though he truly desires it all because he cannot be happy with just the physical).    The writers selfish desire to feel good results in his attempts at happiness to be futile, and even more painful than not winning any affection in the first place.    
 
Her work has an inspirational connection to me & a message that should never be ignored, but often is.   These works can have a variety of interpretations based on the reader; which makes them even more powerful because they seem to talk directly to everyone differently, which empowers them to touch every person who reads them in a special way.