New Poem – as we toil and spin…
Posted on Apr 24, 2015 in Blog feature, Recent Writing | 154 comments
As we toil and spin,
Pause and gather in the stillness,
Whenever you are able.
Trusting that,
Time after time,
This might bind ever deeper
In your soul
And, one day,
Come gloriously to bear.
Otherwise how vain
A deceit
Is such constant distraction,
That leaks into everything
To spoil our chances.
And, in so doing,
Look how we fashion instead
A raw and unnecessarily restless
Sadness in our hearts.
For it is what it is,
This life,
No more and no less…
And everyday
It shines upon us
With a patience
That is inestimable.
So take heart from this
And simply surrender in moments,
As best you can,
Even if only in modest ripples
That gently caress
The shore of your dreams.
A lovely piece!
I love the simplicity and lightness with which this heavy philosophy is treated. Well done! A bit heavy on the commas, but an overall well-written poem! 🙂
Very inspirational piece and well written. Beautiful poem!
“And simply surrender in moments.” The secret to life in one sentence.
A beautiful and inspirational poem with a great closing! Thanks for sharing!
A pensive reflection which reminds the reader to honor precious moments of contemplation and to be aware of the sacred connections of one’s sprit to the larger collective world. Lovely and uplifting.
I read from this a grindstone of life, that sorrow wearing us down, unless we surrender to the hope we might cling to, like a shipwrecked might cling to anything giving him buoyoncy… I find this poem very intriguing Scott.
I second that emotion
I always love a good re-read.. and yes this is what I still think.
Life offers many beginnings with only one ending, eternity. Savor the moment because it may not come this way again. Life comes at you like waves from the ocean. Either you crest with the motion or become submerged with the tide. In end the pillars of life will collapse for all of us but the summation of moments define our true reality.
An excellent poem. You have great talent for the written word. Look forward to more. Mark Davis
Thanks scott
once again the words are luminous like a thousand suns & moons at dawn. this reflective piece conjures up visions + images of an ocean uncurling. the sea is a metaphor for the restlessness of life. i especially am connected to poetry that is grounded as well as exuding a unique kinetic energy. work should remind us that toil is the reward & not the consequence of our personal sacrifices. kudos to you scott. yet another affirming poem that spins its own colours onto an invisible, white canvas.
Sorrow, with the glimmer of hope that never dies within us.
Beautiful and Inspirational as always
Love the idea to stop, to take time to ponder, surrender what not not serving us presently for we not going to take our burden in new rhythms, new adventures of life… Important poem
I needed this right now, very touching and fitting to my current personal struggle…I truly have always hated the saying that runs deep in my family “It is what it is”. But it had no negative connotation here, it was almost peaceful. Wonderfully written as always, and thank you for the message or may have missed this beautiful piece!
Very good I enjoyed the poem.
I love the last line. I think it is a good ending for the poem I just think it is a great line.
Wonderfully inspired and moving Scott. Your words resonate tender blessings and a peace we should all know and embrace. You have closed so well with your last two stanzas. I always imagine your voice heard reading each of your writings to us, an opportunity for undistracted contemplation and assurance through your message.
What a wonderful way to close a Friday!
Warmest regards as always,
Don
Very nice poem Scott.
I love your poems Scott.
How ironic to read something about slowing down, just after I’d written that it is my desire to do just that. Lovely poem Scott! Elegantly penned and gently conveyed. The pith of what you have conveyed is worth it’s weight in gold!
A beautiful poem giving hope and heart to the reader to take advantage of every single bit to bring you to the “shore of your dreams.”
The poem is like the pages of a book called LIFE. Thanks for sharing!
The lives we lead are enjoyed through an attitude of mind. Each day the sun does its job and we take the opportunity to enjoy every minute we can. Well penned Scott.
I think that sums where I am right now Scott. perfect. Surrendering myself in moments to the ripples. Pausing in the stillness yet alone.
You capture the essence of life cleanly and to perfection in this Scott.
I think this is one of my favourites.
Thank you for sharing xx
As always you leave me speechless with your poetry on life
Thank you always
Such wisdom in your words Scott, your work induces self-reflection, makes one feel connected to the universe. I think your work is like little slices of enlightenment!
Your poem makes one stop and ponder the present. Savour it. Treasure it. For the present instantly segues into the past. The present is the most fleeting of all tenses. The past is forever. The future unknown. The present repels adhesion yet it is the stuff of all memory. So breathe in the moment. Smell the grass. Let the waves caress your toes. Kiss a girl. Memories are made of such moments.
Very good, Scott. I think this is important for everyone, but especially writers. Thank you.
Nicely done, Scott.
You brought a grace and simpleness to this… a fresh revision of “stop & smell the roses”… and people, of all ages, need to slow down
Hello Scott – you truly are a gifted poet, one which brings light into darkness, shelter from the storms and a place of quiet to ease the ever present noise within an unrested soul. Your Friend – TJ
Your writing is tender and meaningful. A wonderful blend and a great flair for creativity. A lovely poem.
Beautifully written, Scott.
“For it is what it is, / This life, / No more and no less…”..and it does shine.i believe this..a lovely poem…
Scott:
Another fine piece of poetry. You have put a nice finish on this one; the ending that is: “… in modest ripples / That gently caress / The shore of your dreams.”
Gratefully,
Richard
Ah yes.. the quiet moments of harmony of emotions and senses that come with a mind and body in balance in the most wonderful animal present of now..
And we humans are so truly distracted now.. by a full platter served up now.. almost from birth.. of cultural noise and images that keep us in the plays of someone else’s directed life instead of creating our own..
ADDITIONALLY.. as life is recorded in associations with the past through material goods and other cognitive symbols of the mind AS well as constant worry over what can be multiplied by all the illusory fears we feed our minds.. for an illusory mind of the future THAT IS often steeped in FEAR…
For me the practice of dance and creativity in all ‘free verse’ forms takes me into the peace of present but truly to escape mind distractions are easiest for me with free flowing dance.. where emotions.. senses.. become regulated.. and integrated.. as a ‘wholistic’ human animal rather than a life spent in head with a disconnect of the body that is mind too..:)
Glad to see you’re still writing 🙂
Best wishes
Cassandra
Your poem “As We Toil and Spin” makes one ponder ones place in life.
Congratualations Scott! Fine!
http://atunispoetry.com/2015/04/25/as-we-toil-and-spin-by-scott-hastie/?
Scott says: Thanks for the feature here, Agron – most appreciated…
This is a lovely poem full of wisdom. The lines are lyrical, honest and resonating. Amazing poem, Scott! I enjoyed reading it.
Beautiful… Thank you for sharing. You are a great inspiration.
Emily.
I like this too…
“This is beautifully penned. When I am out with nature, I always capture something that inspires me to write, some blossom starting to bloom on a tree, the scent of it, as it drifts on the breeze, a fluttering butterfly upon a flower. I take a photograph, so I have the memory stored. It is so important to capture those times, when you are not rushing. Sometimes you just need to relax, look around you, for everything is poetry. Thank you so much Scott.
Nice!
As I read, I felt that you and I have been on similar journeys of discovery and acceptance. Every line is rightly crafted with exactitude. This is most certainly one of your best pieces!
Great stuff. Especially love the last three lines!!
Nice writing…
A very insightful poem…something to refer to when we forget that the present moment is really all we have. We are always striving for more when everything we needs, so many gifts of life are already in front of us.
Congratulations! I wish you the best.
Beautiful as always! Thank you Scott for sharing your wonderful poetry with us.
Loved the line, so take heart in this. Actually loved the whole piece Scott. Though life is short, at times we feel it is long and this poem sums everything up. Well done. Looking forward to reading more. Thank you for this one.
Be well my friend,
Racheal
Subtle and sublime
Well you are on fire… taking a risk and putting yourself out there for us… Strong imagery Scott – as a poet inspired, bittersweet & melancholy —
j:)
I liked that…
Beautiful thoughtful words Scott, yet I think it true for some sadness and despair fill those quiet moments, for life has offered them little but this. Toil is all there is and dreams are a painful illusion.
Kind regards
Anna :o]
A haunting poem – don’t we all “toil and spin” too much?
A wonderful and helpful thought, to be an active participant in our own
happiness and pause to manage the twists and turnings so to absorb the wonders of today for now and tomorrow.
A wonderful and helpful thought, to be an active participant in our daily lives,responsible for our own happiness as we pause to manage the twists and turnings of our lives so to absorb the wonders of each day for now and tomorrow. One should quiet external noises whenever possible and allow the
uniqueness of the day to penetrate.
Thanks for sharing Scott. I enjoyed the poem, albeit a rather sad statement. I am in hopes that you were just airing a few thoughts and not seeded in the verses that came through. You are important. Every life is precious and creates only what that particular soul is capable of creating.
Even if only in modest ripples
That gently caress
The shore of your dreams.
Dear Scott the above poem and the ending are so sweetly profound and touching
This is “just” as life is people should never take it for grant but live each day to the fullest.
I enjoyed your poem. I’d write more poems, but life is getting so busy and distracted!!
Beautiful song for a soul to sing
I do like the idea of surrendering to the moments….even as we caress the shore of dreams. To me this means: live in the moment, but continue to think beyond! Another rich poem to be enjoyed, Scott!
Hello my friend!
Your words will ring truth to many! We must take from this life all the light that is given us and take the dark not with sadness, but try to extract all the good from the abyss and only then bundle it in a pretty bow drowning the hurt but always hold its lesson!!!!
Thank you for teaching me Scott!!!!
Many levels here Scott but I will take it at the beautiful surface level of life is what it is indeed…and the best way to connect with happiness is to surrender and be in the moment…enjoy those moments….loved the ending lines.
A truly spectacular piece..! 😀
What a lovely piece!!
Time and time I’ve said this. Your poems bring goose pimples all over my body any time I read them, because they are inspiring and touchy, since they reflect on life’s turmoil, activities, trials, tribulations and happiness. Thank you.
Hello Scott … very sweet of you… Did read it again and again to truly breathe it in. The last verse is particularly poignant … as I have been feeling so restless lately. So much poetry flows out from me that I am at present just doing nothing but playing on my i-pad. I don’t know what to do with all the poetry I have written. Four books are lying in draft form which I just want to forget about … just tired of working so hard for so long. Sorry to spill my heart here. It was a pleasure to read your poem too. Regards Roda
To me it is about riding the tides of life even a small ripple can bring joy.
I love the way you close the poem, very truthful.
i know that raw unnecessary sadness all too well..
Oh! I LOVE this! Stunning!
The last lines are very inspirational Scott. We should embrace everyday, be it a fast-pace one of a slow one
Well done sir.
Wonderfully woven reflection on the need to still self and simply be there in the moment. We really don’t do that enough, perhaps afraid we might miss something. Never realizing how much we are truly missing.
Elizabeth
Luv the way this journeys into contentment
Thanks for inviting me to read
Much Love…
Brilliant piece!
The last verse is breathtaking.
A lovely extended metaphor in the last stanza. Much of life as inevitable as waves lapping to shore. I enjoyed this reading this piece.
There are times when we need words such as yours. I particularly liked the last stanza in this poem.
Restless sadness indeed.. enjoyed this poem.
The last stanza rains the kind of truth that makes life a wonderful game to play… Appreciating the wonders and knowing that the not so wonderful things won’t last forever can make for very good living.
Living in the moment is the key to a happy life.. The ending lines gave a perfect ending to an inspiring write. Thank you for sharing.
Great poem the flow is smooth like a stream along its banks.
Love reading your poems Scott, you have a way with words thank you for sharing xx sending blessings of love & light K.C.
Very lovely writing, Scott!! I felt a connection to your poem 🙂
So take heart from this
And simply surrender in moments,
As best you can
In life one has to accept doses of offerings to be able to survive and enjoy a little. Wonderful lines Scott!
Hank
I totally agree with this poem! I’d say I’ve only “learned” in the past year what it truly means to be in the moment. Delicious!
Wise poem good sir!
Awesome, thank you for sharing, Scott!
Scott, your poems and lovely photos are very interesting and pray you to continue like that.
A wonderful write with creatitity.
This part is very thought-provoking:
“Look how we fashion instead
A raw and unnecessarily restless
Sadness in our hearts.”
I think that we do sometimes fashion an unnecessarily restless sadness within ourselves….we fashion it when it doesn’t need to be there and then we feed it and cultivate it and let it grow exponentially.
Your words, almost oracular, are always just what I need to read, at the precise moment I need to read them. Thank you.
What a beautiful poem – one I really needed to read in this moment
Scott,
Absolutely loved delving deeply into the depths of this great poem. It seemed rather like Desiderata..Keeping on track with life, while in contemplation, reserving moments to care for oneself and prayerful.I LOVED this very much..
Eileen
The title itself is so powerful… I enjoyed doing a slow recital of your words in my mind. Brought a quiet strength to my thoughts
Oh I love this – such wise advice. This present moment is inestimably precious. We need to remember how soon it will be gone. Thanks for this reminder, Scott.
Very thought provoking & beautiful poem.
Thanks!
Sherrie
A young American woman who goes to war-torn El Salvador: tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
This piece speaks volumes to me. the third stanza is like a lightning rod stanza for me. obviously one has to do a lot of retreating to start to swirl around a lot of deceitfulness. great title too.
Hi Scott – that’s a beautiful poem.
The heart of this is the last stanza:
And simply surrender in moments,
As best you can,
Even if only in modest ripples
That gently caress
The shore of your dreams.
Sweet and heartfelt. Simply lovely.
Your poem is absolutely brilliant. This is precisely what I am going through . What you write is absolutely true. Admidst all the toil and hustle and bustle of life, we need to indeed find our serenity. It is a reminder to go back to our roots and be in touch with our soul and search for that inner light. All your poems are so deeply philosophical, they truly come from a higher dimension.
I can certainly understand the ongoing undercurrents of deceit. Aprapo, great poem. Keep it up.
The unspoken reference in the first line is to the lilies of the field who ‘neither toil nor spin yet are gloriously arrayed.’
We choose to toil and spin, to be distracted with the exigencies of life, so miss out on the carefree life of the lily. Instead we create raw and restless sadness.
The only solution is to pause and be still like the flower, allowing life to be what it is and shine on us patiently, and trust that the effect of these pauses is somehow cumulative and will provide us with some modest relief from the ‘vain distractions.’
Pensive and optimistic…
Dear Scott: I love your website and your inclusion of the interesting comments of your readers.
I see you progressing. A book you might love is “Staying Alive: Real Poems for Real Times” edited by Neil Astley, published by BloodAxe. It is a compendium of poems collected under different themes.
“A book must be an axe which smashes the frozen sea within us.” Franz Kafka
Your poem intrigued me, so I had to read rapidly the first time. I believe that the last lines could be:
with a patience
inestimable.
simply surrender
as best you can.
I realize this may change up the number of lines you may have wanted to include, however the brevity and exposure of these thoughts without accoutrement make your message stronger.
You know I love your work, your website, your fans and especially your determination to keep improving.
Warmest Regards, O’Baire
Beautiful and inspiring. Thanks for sharing.
How lovely to see you hear again – it’s been too long!
I like the last three lines but the ones that really struck a chord with me were:
A raw and unnecessarily restless
Sadness in our hearts.
Hey, nice to meet you, Scott; but I must mention, I have never got in a comment queue that was over a 100 souls strong; I like your poem a lot, though–for as a man over 70, I had to practice these insights you offer in order to ride the chaos bitch, ward off the banshee bites, fend off the lobbyist 1% demons, & find that my lifelong pursuit of poetics was the air beneath my wings.
I like that this ended with a resignation to contentment — at least that’s what I saw. Life can be difficult, but there are also blessings, and to be content in all things is better than being bitter for the difficulties. Peace, Linda
I enjoyed your poem very much, and shared it on my Caron Allan facebook page, where others enjoyed it too!
That is a nice, calm and beautiful effect – living in the moment, yes – but soulful by giving in to it. Well done.
Outstanding! and brilliant! poem.
I love it very much. 🙂
I love, love the new poem and the images – absolutely stunning!
This reads much like a meditation. I like the closing image of ripples on water, very serene.
Lovely. I felt a strong Shakespearean influence.
Scott says: Thanks so much Madeleine – of course nowhere near the master of voice himself!
But what you say really hits a target for me and is very pleasing – because so few spot what you have done…
I suppose partly because technically, the fact that I write in such a modern way obscures the truth of it for most folk…
But that truly core Shakespearian influence has always been central to my entire development and ambition as a writer -in terms of looking to find and polish a telling and musical voice of my own, as a poet.
Albeit in ‘free verse’ as some insist on calling it… or indeed lyrical prose – whatever… Who cares about the labels!! As in any art form, its the quality and resonance of work that matters – nothing else… Thanks for sharing your insight.
I take heart and surrender to your words.
Lots to enjoy here. Pause and gather in the stillness, and surrender if only in the modest ripples. Wonderful.
Love the concept of surrendering in modest ripples
Ironically sometimes our own soul can be the most faithful deceiver. Wonderful piece filled with many truths and much emotion.Liked this great work Scott!
This piece is both beautiful and wise. 🙂
Excellent work as ever..So much enjoyed every line dear Scott..
Oh, I love this… quite beautiful!
I appreciate all your works…
A beautiful piece, evocative, transcendent.
I stumbled in two places:
> Stanza 2, line 3, beginning with the pronoun “This” … That pronoun is amorphous, feels fuzzy and indistinct, and doesn’t seem attached to an idea (concrete or abstract). I’d prefer to see the phrase “This _______” with a clarifying subject, or to see the phrase written another way to avoid the use of “This” altogether.
> Stanza 5, line 1, the phrase “it is what it is” … The phrase is a cliche, in the first place, and in the second place, such a jarringly fatalistic note that it sounds discordant with the rest of the poem.
Nonetheless, a lovely work, and one I’ve marked as a favorite to reread. Thank you for sharing!
Scott says: Thanks Eleanore for your detailed consideration…Such careful readings and responses are always appreciated…
I suppose, in terms of the overall narrative, for me this was written with the intention of an interpretation that the ‘This’ you refer to is tied to the stillness; albeit in the previous stanza.
As for: ‘it is what it is’ this was an a deliberate attempt to take a conventional cliche and spiritually transform it and broaden out the truth of it far beyond fatalism… Dressing it as I do with an endless and unfathomable patience that leaves ALL doors open – rather than a life condition that seems disconnected with our hopes, dreams and our heart – in other words not necessarily harsh, cruel or already predicated… Thanks again for your thoughts.
As always Scott, you play us like a well learned instrument. Your artful words as keys to evoke the deepest sentiments in our hearts, leaving us to reflect and feel until that state you have selected for us has overtaken and transported, leaving us only to realize that Mr. Hastie has done it to us yet again in that wonderful way of his.
It’s also a pleasant thing to learn from and better understand how to, from what you do.
Thank you, Sir.
Cheers!
I love everything about this poem especially how its theme physically evokes a calm in me. The theme is close to my heart: stillness, minimizing distraction, awareness that our restlessness has more to do with what’s inside us, not outside. Truly nourishing, Scott. I’m glad to have discovered your work.
Insightful work Scott you bring a sense of presence and now.
God Bless and stay strong…
Marvelous… Beautifully Inspiring.
You are amazing, dear Scott, as is your new poem. Simply magic. I may be your greatest fan yet!
Hi Scott, Love your most recent poem at scotthastie.com.
This one almost made me cry! Beautiful!
Good going Scott, sir
Time to stop and take stock, to rest within ourselves and contemplate before making decisions or taking action. A kind of time out to make sure we do what will sit right within ourselves and bring with it peace and stillness for the soul. Great writing… contemplative in itself.
Beautiful poetry!!
Lovely poem….I especially liked these lines..
For it is what it is,
This life,
No more and no less…
And everyday
It shines upon us
With a patience
That is inestimable.
Liked the poem, it’s the moments that matter…
Thank you, Scott, for leading me this way, so I could “Pause and gather in the stillness”! Beautiful!
Loved the poem, Scottie
Loving your work…
So deeply moving…
Scott, the depth of your poetry inspires
Dear Scott,
Long I have imagined that someone would pick up the pen of the scribes of the Vedas and bring the journey of the Soul into the modern era! Good on you that you have bravely and soulfully done so. I look forward to talking with you in various media as I feel a kindred soul in you.
Many blessings to you kind and known but unknown soul,
Benjamin
*Known yet unknown, which of course could be a title of a poem.
Beautiful work! I find myself wading in the last stanza in particular within those modest ripples. Thank you for sharing!
Beautifully written, the goodness of your soul can be felt in the words you write, keep it simple, enjoy the moments and stay blessed always:)
Beautiful poem, Scott. It reminds me of the lines…… forgive and forget the past, live in present, future will be yours.
This is a lovely poem which touched my heart especially “simply surrender in moments, As best you can,” easy to say difficult to follow as we have to shred our egos, connections of emotions, ownership, and all our bindings which is in line with our own belief system and list of wants. Scott, I love you so much and the poems which you have written are eye openers. I promise, will start to surrender to the moments. I have crossed the ocean of past and future, always my mind will be blank without any plans for myself and my people around. That is the best what I have learnt in my life…a bit of emotional bindings if I cross I think, what you said is possible to be with the ultimate spirit The journey is on my dear divine soul….Thank you very much…these kind of thoughts will push me forward to walk towards the light.
Dear Scott, thank you very much for a lovely spirit of words and it goes deep into the heart and crosses the soul. Thank you very much for awakening the self…
A beautiful, evocative poem that captures so much — the time we find elusive, the moments that we don’t see or don’t allow ourselves because of the interruption of life’s ‘noise’. Thank you for your poetry — your brave, quiet truths. I bought Meditations, and I look forward to reading more of your words you choose to share with the world.
Scott, you have the full grasp of the written word. Your poem is very intriguing and your words resonate within. Each stanza is filled with veracity Scott; your Words inspire…
It is a great work of Art, because your poem paints the picture of human life as it is, Scott. Congrats my friend it was a pleasure for to me to read. It is also a pleasure to meet another inspired poet who has found his ‘Wal’ and is at peace.
With Sincere Regards
David – debarnes
Perth WA Aust.
Rarely do I send a work to another. You are an exceptional Poet. And so, for you and your readers pleasure:
Materialization
Today I saw Picasso
in my kitchen,
he glanced at me mournfully
a sinister jaded green, stark within the frame
on my wall …
thin, gaunt, haunted,
haunting eyes, frail flesh, skin on bone.
So much grief
cleaved to canvas.
Did he ever understand
understand the impression, he would leave …
that millions would pass,
through colors …
in to his world, of worlds within.
His gaze left me,
feeling …
Somehow, a work of art,
paint,
ready to dry out
drying, deteriorating with age.
I deduce one day,
my son will say of the picture
he holds of me;
my flesh, skin on bone, was pastel,
not jaded green;
and in my passing, I was no,
Picasso.
© debarnes
On reading this I was deeply impressed by your use of the cliché ‘ …it is what it is…’ Brilliant