Our feet slipped there a bit,
knocked out by a tidal wave
formed years ago
by a wisp or two.
If we could have foreseen it,
recognizing the knaves,
skipping the show
in favor of what’s true,
I’m not sure anything
would have changed much—
just a postponement of
the inevitable come about.
For an oblong swing
starts from the slightest touch
and sometimes needs a shove;
a capitulation to doubt,
sending the bob back
into a steady rhythm,
each side getting what it needs—
handshakes across the divide.
But soon enough, a side will lack
and upset the algorithm,
claiming the balance of deeds
has grown too wide.
And we’ll do it again,
because as the earth turns
so does the single mind,
learning itself by day,
moving for the time when
our collective concerns
become so intertwined
we all embrace the sway.
— ❧ —
Poetry Inspiration
This one was inspired by something my dad used to say, back when I was a kid, about how the world corrects itself with each iteration of political leader or social movement we live through. Over the years, I’ve seen this play out in multiple landscapes, whether they be schools, workplaces, or interpersonal sentiments among friends. Everything seeks a balanced rhythm to function as its best self. Sometimes the natural rhythm of things gets thrown out of whack because some don’t accept the status quo, and that’s okay. Change is good (sometimes). But the earth and its people react to these shifts and ultimately attempt to correct itself with a new rhythm—balanced yet again, but with a greater understanding.
For this poem, I made everything but the last two stanzas out of sync, syllable count-wise. I wanted to simulate a pendulum clock being thrown off rhythm. But the last two stanzas I purposefully gave the same syllable count for each line, bringing the clock back into alignment.
If you like this and want to see more poetry, head over to In Verse.