Enlightenment

Joe Strickland 1986 (Hobbysville, SC)



Self salvation calls
A task for every man's grasp.
Find strength within self.
Enlightenment, a rebirth.
Breaking free from all burdens.

Ever evolving,
Nature's law of change endures,
Nothing stays the same,
The impermanence of life,
A fact that none can deny.  

The soul is fluid,
Ever changing, never still.
No fixed principle.
Mortality is certain,
No immortality found.  

Infinite expanse
Stretches beyond comprehension.
Law guides all that's seen.
Effects stem from hidden causes.
Universal truths revealed.

Life's journey begins.
An eternal, unbroken path.
Everchanging forms.
Yet, indivisible whole.
Finite yet infinite soul.

Life's eternal flow,
One force that guides us all.
Each part in accord.
Interests of whole wrap us
Inseparable and whole.    

Eightfold Path guides
Views, aims, speech, acts, livelihood,
Efforts, mind, hypnosis.
Righteousness revealed within,
Meticulous path to peace.   

Reality defies
Words and explanations,
Indescribable.
A mystery we all live,
Yet struggle to comprehend it.

Between hope and doubt,
The path to enlightenment,
The middle way shines,
From potential to actual,
Peaceful existence awaits.   

Inward concentration
Of mind and soul, a release
From worldly pressure
Meditation, key to peace.
Inner faculties now thrive.   

Intuition speaks
Truth unknown to all but me.
Authority mine.
Solitude and self-reflection
Reveal clarity and peace.  

Ancient wisdom thrives,
A faith that honors reason,
Satisfies the soul.
Self reliance, tolerance blend,
A path to shape one's own fate.  
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Written on May 27, 2023

Submitted by JoeStrickland on May 27, 2023

1:28 min read
14

Quick analysis:

Scheme XXXXA XXXXX XXBCX XCXXX XXXDD XXXED XXEXF XABGX XXXBX CFXFG XXXCF XCDXX
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 1,557
Words 289
Stanzas 12
Stanza Lengths 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Joe Strickland

I'm just a regular, blue collar, working stiff who took an interest in writing poetry many years ago but until recently I haven't had a desire to share any with anyone or pursue publication. I'm an unpublished fork lift operator by night, and a day drinker by choice. I can be followed on Twitter @JoeStricklandSC more…

All Joe Strickland poems | Joe Strickland Books

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1 Comment
  • lovingempath
    The feeling of having an answer to 'Universal Truth' is something that binds humanity together; whether we're consciously aware of that or not. This poem is a beautiful expression of the search and then actually grasping that truth. If I'm not mistaken :). 
    LikeReply 111 months ago

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"Enlightenment" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 24 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/160257/enlightenment>.

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