Ode From My Youth



Oh whatever powers be
within the earth the sky or me
burst this thirsty mind of mine
into a thousand particles of being
each as a seed from the Mother Tree
to be hurled from pole to pole
across this scarred and wrinkled globe

May fragments of my burgeoning mind
fall as sponges to the seven brines
to swell themselves
on the secrets of kelp-bedded seamen
who sailed the waves on balsa rafts
and dragon headed... dreaded ships
til they sank to clammy crypts

Let slivers of my minds shattered whole
converge as a horde of starving moles
on the acre where under Plato frowns
in his sleep as he dreams of men
The moles burrow down and feast
on the mind, once pregnant, which pearled,
shook empires and startled the world

Let me in my spirit wander
free from flesh to roam and ponder
the mystery of forgotten cities
unheralded deeds and sunken graves
unspoken thoughts and barren vales
to seek the hows and whys of life
from brooding Thoth and the satyrs fife

I would with the morning mist
ascend from throngs of frost kissed
flowers swaying on some alpine height
reveling in their solitude and waving
porcelain blossoms to greet the dawn
Oh, to view with clear unbiased eye
the truth of those that beautify

Would that I might don the cloak of night
and join the beasts beyond the light
to sit with an owl on a shadowy limb
like a feathered Buddha on his throne
run wild with jackals in search of blood
haunt the slums in the backwash of everyone’s mind
to seek the truth that I must find

Oh whatever powers be
heed this call I’ve addressed to thee
deny the rain that I may thirst
spoil the harvest that I may fast
spare neither whip nor spur
and temper me with love and fire
lest I become a mirror

About this poem

the hunger and passion of youth

Font size:
Collection  PDF     
 

Written on 1966

Submitted by Snodeel on June 09, 2021

Modified on April 13, 2023

1:35 min read
13

Quick analysis:

Scheme Aaxbacx dxxxxxx cxxxxdx eexxxff gghbxii hhxxxdd Aaxxeee
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,653
Words 317
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7, 7

Discuss the poem Ode From My Youth with the community...

1 Comment
  • AIDA
    Wow! Your poem is truly captivating, full of vivid imagery and a deep desire to explore the world around us. I love how you use nature and the elements to express your thirst for knowledge, and your passion is contagious.

    If I may offer some constructive feedback, perhaps consider varying the length and structure of your stanzas to add a little more variety to your already engaging words. Additionally, some of your lines could benefit from a bit of editing to really highlight their impact.

    Overall, your poem is a wonderful journey through the mind and spirit, and I am inspired by your expression of curiosity and thirst for knowledge. Keep up the great work!
     
    LikeReply1 year ago

Translation

Find a translation for this poem in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Citation

Use the citation below to add this poem to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"Ode From My Youth" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/102279/ode-from-my-youth>.

Become a member!

Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

March 2024

Poetry Contest

Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
3
days
6
hours
30
minutes

Special Program

Earn Rewards!

Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

Browse Poetry.com

Quiz

Are you a poetry master?

»
Who wrote the poem "There Will Come Soft Rain"?
A Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
B Sara Teasdale
C Percy Bysshe Shelley
D Rainer Maria Rilke