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The Void

The tired student turns his gaze onto the white expanse of the ceiling;
Thoughts and voices drifting at the edge of consciousness
The tangible silence of boredom envelops him, bringing

Soft Sweeping Swells of meaningless white nothings.
His Imagination wanders, flying free among
The 'true blue sky' and 'infinite yes.'


Time is irrelevant (there is only tomorrow)
, and Truth reveals a glimpse of primal human nature.

Just as the Simplicity approaches perfection

O
o
.


The Bell Rings!

!

!

Author notes

'97

Quotes from an e.e. Cummings poem, [I thank thee god for this most amazing day]

hmm
Written January 21st, 2002

In a list

A contest entry

What did you think

    I plan to revise this poem: please leave constructive criticism!
    : , Your review:

    Comment Suggestion: What is your your first impression?
    • Line numbers  • Invite them to read
    : no Cost: 0 free left 0 points, You have (?)

Comments

1 - 99 of 192     1 2  next >  (show all)

  • VelvetWings
    November 21, 2009

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    Oh, interesting. I put in 0000001 to find the first poem on the site and I'm glad I did that. I like the style you wrote this in as well as the ideas you portray here. Really love the notion of simplicity being perfection.
    ~Sparrow


  • Lauren Noir
    August 3, 2009
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    You wrote this on my birthday! The first poem on allpoetry was written on my birthday...IT'S A SIGN!

  • cirque du soleil
    June 5, 2009
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    The very first poem on AP? Wow!


  • adolescente
    March 28, 2009
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    is this the very first poem on AP?


  • BehindTheShadow
    February 21, 2009
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    Nice write.


  • wwfhrocks14
    February 21, 2009

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    i hate ee cumming with a passion, this wasn't terrible though. i enjoyed it almost. even though it's not my taste, it's an amazing poem that i think everyone can relate too. maybe i'll even give mr. cummings a try again. =) great write.


  • shiratikva
    February 21, 2009

    Edit | Reply
    "Thoughts and voices drifting at the edge of consciousness"
    "Simplicity approaches perfection" those are my favorite lines.
    I see it was written many years ago.
    Great piece.
    Karina


  • condor gold member
    November 10, 2008

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    Drifting off during class. How many times have we all done that. The way you wrote this was really good. The ceiling being the backdrop for your students exit from reality for that fleeting moment in time. What wonders did he see in that expanse? Then that darned bell has to bring him back. Excellent write and i thought the setout of the piece conveyed just that feeling of drifting. Well done indeed.


  • TyrannyForestFairy
    July 29, 2008

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    This was pretty simple yet quite good in concept. Reminds me of me sometimes actually lol haha, excellent write however. First poem on AP....hmmm cool

    ~Emily~ xx


  • DevinCora
    July 18, 2008
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    awesome

    ahhh its my summer and yet it made me feel as if i just got out of school today. i could feel that anxiousness building up that school brings. i also enjoyed your emphasis of the words... but i think i should add that the two that are highlighted in a different color are a little hard to see.... but it was a very good write


  • catz Moderators member
    June 26, 2008

    Edit | Reply
    I like going back and reading the first poem posted by a poet on here. This may not really be your first one but it's the first one in your list now

    I find this piece interesting and somewhat remeniscant of my own school days... and yes even after about 55 years since high school I can still remember some of those days

    Daydreaming is alwas a special time, I think. A time to go where we want to, do what we want to and relax for a bit... until that infernal bell awakens us.

    A pretty cool write, Kevin I enjoyed it.

    Dee


  • AliceinPoetryLand gold member
    June 21, 2008
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    How cruel for that bell to ring! I so enjoy those times when nothiong else exists except my silent reverie!
    I love how you took me there.Great use of wording. Nothing excess in this!
    Thanks for sharing. A great piece and congratulations on your trophy
    Gaylene


  • waydownuponjoy
    June 19, 2008
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    Astutely shared!

    with a free verse style that does the form and layout justice! joy


  • nilav
    June 19, 2008
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    this is a great write....congrats on the trophy

  • misticmoonlite gold member
    June 18, 2008
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    looks like a short song to me, nice one good luck

  • davidwright silver member
    June 18, 2008
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    Good piece of work written with a flair for words. Happy trails

  • Bob 42 silver member
    June 18, 2008
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    I must disagree

    Time being irrelevant; there is only NOW.


  • mystikal-mayhem
    May 15, 2008
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    hmm

    the FIRST poem on AP

    and its pretty good!!
    great job


  • GentleStorm
    May 14, 2008

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    good poem for being the first on AP. Might as well stop and take a picture *camera flashes* Picture souvenier!!! Yay!!!


  • suiyee
    May 6, 2008
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    wow the 1st poem ever on ap how sweet is that!


  • GothicAngel92
    March 31, 2008
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    shweet poem dude

  • nostalgicdreamer416
    February 29, 2008

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    i was curious to see what would happen if i put a 1 after the slash....lo and behold "the void" comes up :]
    i like this poem....i can relate at times to the tired student....marvelous :]

    Godbless....;]


  • shuvi
    February 29, 2008
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    OOOOOOOH! The first ever.


  • GlowstickOfLove
    February 10, 2008
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    Wow. This is amazing.
    It's weird reading the first poemage [ever] on AP.
    Awesome Dude :]


  • Ryno gold member
    December 2, 2007
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    Its so weird reading the first poem ever on AP Excellent.

  • Namita
    September 6, 2007
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    So this is the first poem at AP! Wow! Wow wow wow. Great penning, Kevin, and thanxx for sharing + lol starting the whole "everybody sharing" part.

    Candy

  • Namita
    September 6, 2007

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    So this is the first poem at AP! Wow! Wow wow wow. Great penning, Kevin, and thanxx for sharing + lol starting the whole "everybody sharing" part.

    Candy

  • Jesus Freak Me
    July 2, 2007

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    hi

    hi do u mine if i add u as a friend check out my page at "Jesus Freak Me" Only 1 space between each word!!!!

  • tattered teddy
    June 29, 2007
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    cool

  • tattered teddy
    June 29, 2007
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    cool


  • RIP Whoever
    April 12, 2007
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    wow

    duh this is the most popular, everyone wants to read the first poem ever posted on allpoetry (right when i thought i was the first...)

    awesome...
    i'd love to be able to do that kind of font too. but the lack of cards or money accounts makes that.. sigh...

    congratulations though. awesome bronze trophy.


  • brokenchild06
    April 10, 2007
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    Wow this is great I really like it the rhyming is perfect keep up the good work!

  • Kevin Moderators member
    March 6, 2007
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    i've always liked thi


  • stevens5613
    November 29, 2006
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    hymm. I have to say that it is a Wonderful poem, but i feel that it is ruined by the effects. But as this is a personnel opinion i hope you take no offence i just think that effects like shown above ruins the poems effectiveness.
    Blessed be
    Chris


    • Kevin Moderators member
      January 19, 2007
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      I thought they were kind of gimmicy too, and had been waiting for someone to call me on it!


  • Ember Rose
    November 29, 2006

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    Descriptive read.

    Lines 3 and 7 stood out most to me for the depth of thought that went into them. Actually liked the whole piece. As for an emotional response...can you have one to boredom as line 3 states? Interesting and thought provoking. Relating to a poem like this would be more apropos. Very free-form with a strong hint of Mr. Cummings' style and approach to a subject. Cool read!

  • iviedoe
    August 25, 2006
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    Eloquent words worthy of a fine critique...

    but i must comment on the subject matter, at one point you say 'there is only tomorrow' and i must take issue with your message there...
    time is irrelevent,yes;but there is only NOW my sweet poet friend. you did not write this lovely piece tomorrow; you wrote in a NoW~~~much love and hopeful insights shared on this, my FAVORITE subject...let's discuss..Life IS sooo RAD, man!!!! yours, iviedoe


  • miss.misery
    August 23, 2006
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    ! the first poem on the site! haha, it's very well written. i loved the ending too. and ee cummings is god. well, to me he is, anyways. great job!


  • tinygirl8
    August 21, 2006
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    ee cummings was and still is the best poet around even if hes dead great poem!!


  • Xelgaroth
    August 8, 2006
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    Oh, wow.... the first thing ever posted on AP... Cool! This is great! I love it! Keep it up, Oh, great Creator of AllPoetry!

    Dan


  • Something Real
    July 29, 2006
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    Is this the first thing ever posted on AP?


  • parasol
    July 21, 2006
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    Ahhh... the first poem ever posted on Allpoetry. It’s well written. Reminds me of the boring days of school. (Oh, how there are so many of them!) Anyways, good poem. This was well penned. It was very meaningful.
    - Andi
    Edited on Jul 21, 11:06 because ''.

  • kidd-1 wit words
    July 12, 2006
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    can you tell how to make faces


  • hks
    June 21, 2006
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    id applaud this... but im selfsalmon...
    i dunno y i said that...
    but yehh its cool ur #1!!!!!!!


  • Your Messiah
    June 5, 2006
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    Number ONE.
    Wicked.


  • May 29, 2006
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    this is so good i added it to my group i love it it's so simple but complicated excellent well done this is what a student does everyday wanders off into the nothiness

  • dream catcher
    May 28, 2006
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    I like the visual of this piece. I want to keep reading simply because it looks like it will be cool. Very interesting write, I've found myself doing this before actually. Always on the verge of thinking up something great, when the bell rings and it all goes away. Truly depressing, yet comical at the same time. Interesting write


  • The Kake Show
    April 30, 2006
    Edit | Reply
    wow
    tAT WAS beautiful (sorry sticky caps ) the first poem that has to b signoificate right im gonna read
    #@


  • tricia
    April 27, 2006
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    i like the background also.

    i like this poem. it reminds me of when i lied to my teacher and told him that nothing was on the ceiling although i was seeing little black spots that told me a story.

    the green highlight on boredom makes the word hard to read.


  • Eventide Dark Light
    March 30, 2006
    Edit | Reply
    It seems I wasn’t the only one who wanted to see the first poem that was written on this site. It makes sense that it would be you who would have done it as you are one that constructed the site. So therefore I guessed you would have written it but then again its shock to the system to find out that my theory is true.
    Most people say they like this poem to me it just seem right to me, I get your tired at school but why look at the ceiling waiting for the bell to ring it makes no since most of children look at the time. Maybe I am just reading too much in to the poem, and looking strait past the true meaning of the poem in depth.
    I will probably now go though all the poems from one to infinity and read them all just to make a comment on them after finding this one. Love Wendy

  • rikitikitalker
    February 26, 2006
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    i dont like the part right before the bell rang...
    "0
    o
    ."
    it threw me off intirely...

  • X-o
    February 19, 2006
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    dude that is awsome i just have one question did u ever thing this site would take off like it did i mean for u this has to be amazing to look at


  • Ellis gold member
    January 27, 2006
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    Advice from the CAT

    You have stayed in school too long
    Your life plan is just all wrong
    Tiki here; now I insist
    Construct a website something like this

    This of course you could not match
    Who could do this all from scratch
    But you could try something as good
    If you would I think you should

    Tiki Cat


  • Viyanna Rosemarie silver member
    January 25, 2006
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    this is what i remember longing for in school, the void and the bell. you brought them both together ver well. good job


  • Jasmine Minx
    January 18, 2006
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    this is a cool poem


  • Taranand
    January 15, 2006
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    Ding-a-ling-a-ling....ding-a-ling-a-ling.
    Wake up now Kevin OR THE INFINITE WILL PASS YOU BY!!!
    www.contact-info.net


  • BlackBloodyRose
    January 12, 2006
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    love it

    FIRST POEM!! WO WO WOWOW lol love it


  • astralshepherd gold member
    December 12, 2005
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    I thought, if i typed a “1” in the line allpoetry.com/poems/1 i might find something wonderful. What a brilliant opening to an even more amazing endeavor. Thank you, Kevin for creating this space, this place where i am finding healing for my soul. Blessings and best wishes, ~richard


  • quiksilver
    December 1, 2005
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    Woi Woi..Lol..This is the first poem on this site!Hehe..Beautiful!

  • Mad-Hatter
    November 17, 2005
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    Good

    Give up is my suggestion, Darkangelgirl667.

    Wonderful poem, btw, Kevin.

    I wanted to see what the very first poem at Allpoetry was. Now I know. I applaud you, my friend.
    Edited on Nov 17, 4:12 p.m. because 'a misunderstanding in the message. It looked like I meant something other than I had actually meant. I will not have such a poem insulted, even if by mistake.'.


  • Squirrel53
    October 27, 2005
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    I'm trying to read every poem at AP...this is gonna be hard Kevin!


  • October 22, 2005
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    Sweet this was different creative. At first I didn't really understand the whole poem but than I went back an re-read it and now it makes a lot more sense.


  • Scion
    October 17, 2005
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    truly creative and i like it. the uh, style is unique and quite interesting, but it distracts from the poem itself.. sorry to say. overall this was a great idea for a poem, and you made it really tangible. Cheers.
    -scion


  • NooNiThEWitcH
    September 30, 2005
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    that was really nice..
    i really liked the first two lines most
    Good job!
    keep on writing!!!

  • western morning
    September 29, 2005
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    WOW!!! first ever poem!!!!!!! *conducts strange ritual dance*

    ok thats me done.


  • Jackle
    September 28, 2005
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    MEMORIES!

    I love this one -- it flows so with feelings-I think we have all had before. Yes, boredom, when our minds should have been learning. Oh youth, so blind.


  • vieve gold member
    September 22, 2005
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    powerful simplicity

    'the tangible silence of boredom' - yes, this is boredom. The best description I've seen or heard. As for Truth - I suppose that's why the Bucket of Truth was so feared... (Upright Citizens Brigade reference if you're familiar with the show, unfortunately, off the air for a few years now...)


  • CountryCousin
    September 18, 2005
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    Definetly like.

    How interesting to read this one and I liked eecumings style too among others. Very unique one here.

  • rvh1956
    September 18, 2005
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    Delightful...

    Gee kevin, I am behind your clock...grin, wink. I was ummm...anyway...thanks for this.

  • Home Of Pumpkin
    August 18, 2005
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    wow i love this for some strange reason? i have no idea why though? its written beautifuly and its so ...(search for wording) sleepy almost (hard to describe)im sorry this isnt very helpfull but there you go! realy realy wonderful!

  • sappho87
    August 7, 2005
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    Going through some poems and noticing that there are in the millions, I wanted to see what the very first poem posted was like.
    I must say, it is excellent. The imagery is vivid in my mind, but I have an overactive imagination.
    Once again, excellent write.

  • hannibal
    July 27, 2005
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    Wow...awesome...that is so me. In every class come to think of it...lol...now i feel bad. Good Job!!!!


  • Touchof1der silver member
    July 27, 2005
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    I remember many a day spent like this in Science class especially. Then in college it was EVERY general ed course. I hated taking the same basic courses over again that I had in high school. It was sooo boring. I really like the way this draws the reader in even though there is no depth to speak of. It's amazing how universal some thoughts and experiences are. You did a great job here. I did see one minor error [envelops] should be spelled [envelopes]. This reminds me of the Seinfield series. It has that same appeal as far as not having any earth shattering truth or depth but you just love it anyway.
    ♥ Kimberly
    Edited on Jul 27, 8:54 p.m. because ''.


  • Elle.
    July 25, 2005
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    you got me at the first two lines. amazingly poetic for something so... dull. (that's NOT an insult)


  • Darkwand
    July 20, 2005
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    Well, here is where it started...I must say, you have a flare for the outgoing lol. This was a charming piece, once again...great job.

  • sexie pink bunny
    June 23, 2005
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    this is a great poem and i love the format and the way it just caught my attention with soft sweeping souls of meaningless white nothings that was awsome it was the first poem and it was great you should really keep writing and i give you my encouragement i cant wait to read your other poems keep up the awsome work!!!! ~JeSsIcA~

  • KOle H
    June 12, 2005
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    hey, your poem totally rocks. it's like being in your head.


  • agalford7053
    June 11, 2005
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    great job... i hope you continue to write


  • Darkened Star
    June 1, 2005
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    That was good.


  • aslanlight
    May 30, 2005
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    How on earth did this get in my bookmarks?
    I thought time was irrelevant, (there is only today)! You might get run over by an elephant in drag or something.
    I like the way this is laid our and the background. Also the way you describe those moments of just gazing into space. Nice to see something from you. I went to look at your poems once and found your drawings but no poems.


  • Dissodatore Cuore
    May 27, 2005
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    Woah! That was awesome. There are no words to express how awesomely awesomeness this is. (See, I told you there were no words to express it)

  • PoeticPixie77
    May 23, 2005
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    Flashes of deep thought in a moments time. Loved it...

  • Sweet Summer Rose
    May 14, 2005
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    That was great i am forever wishing fro class to be over i love the sound of the bell!!


  • -LizBTropez-
    May 11, 2005
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    Definately a cool poem, intelligent, too if one isn't distracted by the little extras you're playing with I have yet to really play with effects and such on here- though I do know HTML. Maybe I should. Well, I was just curious to see what poem was the first posted. Maybe someday I'll have the time to read them all (yeah, right, unless I'm immortal!) Anyways awesome job Kev!

  • -TragedY-
    May 10, 2005
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    wo i never thought such a simple write could revel so much depth.

  • D-Mantz
    May 9, 2005
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    its the first poem, I just had to see it, and I'm glad I did.
    "the true blue sky, and infinite yes"
    very good way to start things off


  • Joshua121
    May 9, 2005
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    very nice piece. i have found that by typing in a number up in the address bar right after poem/ i can find some very cool poetry. hence i am here. i love the way you have written this out, i mean the actual format of the the text. not to mention the rhyme flow and subject matter. I really like the one verse right before the change at the end Soft Sweeping Swells of meaningless white nothings.
    His Imagination wanders, flying free among
    The 'true blue sky' and 'infinite yes
    i really like that phrase infinite yes sorry im rambling very nice work man.


  • Imokon
    May 8, 2005
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    That is an impressive - structure - that really brought the image from tangible to a bubble.


  • AgeofAquarius
    April 19, 2005
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    Kewl...I do that at work too...lol..Great write about a mundane ordinary experience...


  • Black-Moon
    April 1, 2005
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    Congrats on this being the first poem on AP ever! However, I think that you distracted my attention from the poem when you used fancy HTML.


  • Methusala
    March 24, 2005
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    Hey this is the first poem ever, and I have to say, I do like it... an excellent peice, and the part about truth revealing only a glimspe of primal human nature is so true. I really did love this, DK

  • agalford7053
    March 18, 2005
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    nice this was short but beautiful.......


  • CodeNameCassie
    March 12, 2005
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    It's funny...I always wanted to know what the first poem on the site was...and now I do. It is great by the way. I love the way it looks. Great job!
    Cassie


  • Downtown Brown
    February 26, 2005
    Edit | Reply
    I sleep at my school too, mostly in Social Studies. But anyway I like the flow of the poem and all the big letters and the coloring..your so speical you can do that

    -Fin

    Julie


  • Silvermoon Dragon
    January 24, 2005
    Edit | Reply
    hehe, I have a poem like this, Killing time in Silence. I wrote mine in that limbo period at the end of an exam, when it's too late to leave early, but there is still like ten minutes to go.

    You came close to hitting a universal truth there: time *is* irrelevant, but there is only now.

    God, how pretensious do I sound? And I can't even spell this late at night lol. Oh well, great poem anyway.
    ~Susan~


  • agalford7053
    January 17, 2005
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    Great Job! I really liked it. I am the owner of this list. Thanks for adding it.

  • VentulusFamosus
    December 20, 2004
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    This reminds me of my typical, mundane school day. I enjoyed this poem; the style you used to write this piece was very unique and original. I can relate to the student who finally obtained quietude and then lost it due to the bell. All in all, this is a wonderful write!
    ~Kate

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