The essence of bounty
can not be measured
by what one has,
but by what one has had
and given away.
The essence of beauty
cannot be measured
by how one acts,
but by the intentions
upon which they act.
The essence of love
cannot be measured
by it's passion,
but by its dedication
and constancy.
The essence of measure
is always moving out
away from the center
free and effortless,
never collecting.
Author notes
maa has great prompts.
In a list
A contest entry
- The Bowing Tree by maa.
777 points, ended January 15, 7 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 19 of 19
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thank you so much for responding to this prompt through powerful words of insight and experience ... the first visionary impact I receive from your verse is the image of an elder sitting in a circle and transmitting life lessons to the younger members of the community ...
when I let the words sink in and resonate within me, there are in particular two passages that keep my attention the most : one is the powerful first stanza ... for me, it could even stand on its own, all is said here ... it is for me a very strong message of surrender, trust and detachment ... an invitation to realize that we are but instruments through which the ebb and flow of life take place ...
the other passage is the one with the "results of the intended actions" : for me, there are (at least) two messages in one here - which might appear paradoxical, but aren't really - one is the importance of the result, the effect of our deeds (which in reality belong to the divine) ... and the other its cause, our intention at the moment before and while acting ... when you say that "The essence of beauty cannot be measured
by how one acts" we might be tempted to focus on the outer aspect, the gesture, while the "hidden part" of it is the place from which this very gesture springs ...
for me, the apparent paradox (only apparent) is the stressing on the result versus the action itself, and the resolution of the paracox seems to lie in the word "intended", which brings us right back to the cause, the source of it ...
I don't know if my "analysis" makes sense, maybe it's a bit complicated, but that's what your poem inspires me ... I sense that there's a lot more wisdom and truth still waiting to be revealed packed into your words, it is just unfolding slowly, slowly, the longer I stay with the energy of your verse ...
thank you so much for this transformative piece of creative poetic transmission, I highly appreciate your participation in this contest ...
marion
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Thank you for your in depth analysis. I agree with you. My idea was that the measure of anything is not apparent to the simple mind. We must always look deeper to see the true measure. In wealth, it is what you have given. With actions, it is always our intent that should be measured, as we do not have control over results. One who is callous may get lucky and one who is caring may get unlucky. The results of their actions do not tell us who they are, the intent of their actions does. Then I sum it up that measure, when applied to human beings, is like a heart pumping. You make everything flow away from the center as a gift to all around you. I am speaking biologically, energetically, as well as spiritually. Just as the veins return the blood to the heart, all you give comes back to you.
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YOU SEEM LIKE A VERY WISE PERSON
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Nice thoughts.
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Well done
These truths are timeless and should be preserved.
thank you for penning them so eloquently.
My favorite lines are words I will remember.
The essence of love
cannot be measured
by it's passion,
but by its dedication
and constancy.
Well done.
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I love this poem, it's beautiful and flowing. I admire your skills of achieving simplicity and complexity at the same time. Hope you do well in the contest!
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good luck in the contest!
i love it, it really made me think about things.
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The essence of love
cannot be measured by its passion
but by its dedication and constancy
Beautiful words you have penned
All the best to you In the contest
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An absolutely beautiful piece with much wisdom written within
I very much enjoyed reading this
Thank you for sharing this and for reminding us all of what's really important in this life
The best of luck to you!!!
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Lovely
There is a rich unconditional element to all of these measures very beautiful indeed. My heartfelt thank you for this lovely post.
Lady E
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Truth Spoken Here
This poem for twenty seven lines speakes volumes of truth. I like the stanza "Essence of bounty can not
be measured by what one has but buy what is given away." Sometimes I don't have alot and someone needs something I will give what I have to help them out.
Our purpose in life is to serve others and when we serve others before ourselves we can say we are truly free. This is a great write keep pushing your ink friend.
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Simple in meaning and yet so complex in deliverance. A write filled with much truth and wisdom. Thanks for sharing.
Laura
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This is the essence of simplicity and beauty
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the essence of simplicity
I admire the simplicity of the language, theme, structure and its continuity. To grasp essences is of course difficult becuase by its nature, it is hidden by appearances.
Love - the essence of love to me is to love others, and not to selfishly want others to love us. When we love others we can feel it with our whole being but we can only know that others have love for us. Also love is about our r'ship with the world and not to be just one or two special others, the latter is a kind of love that is simply a reaction to loneliness in an alienating society.
Beauty - why is the essence not in our actions but in the results? - Afterall we are not in control of results just our own actions.
Hope this stimulates some thinking.
cheers
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this is lovely
thanks for sharing!
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How very true!!! I am loving every word, every feeling, everything about this! What a great job you did on this one! This is fantastic!
Best of luck in this contest!
and love
Nyetta
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bravo, well good job you measured it well and explained the measure of essence.
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This is pure PerV, the one I've grown to love, this is one of your best
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Ah!
Perfect in its core elements: giving, intentions turned actions, dedication and constancy, selfless. Loved your take on the prompt, Poet. You make life seem so easy, and it IS ... effortless by His Example.
Love
Always Myra
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