Over the river and through the woods, we tread knowing well what’s ahead of us

Breathless,
I watch as frost grows over the windows,
the cold air allows me
to discern
the thoughts forming slowly in my mind,
and fire
which despite freezing temperature continues
to fill my chest.

Can I embrace you, to wake me from oblivion?
Brush upon your lips lightly,
offer a kiss,
and rage against the hypocrisy of adult world?
They say
there is something better waiting down the road,
but how can we fashion what’s to come
when the bondage of past continues to plague us?
The world before us is shrouded in smoke,
and we as a nation are fed sweet milk
in the form of media–
what disconcerted times are we living in?

Sheathe me in your ardor,
as I offer you the soft wisps of black hair around my nape
touch me darkly, decadently
as the wind does to a rosebud–
I sense the desire burning inside you through the sigh
that escapes your lips,
and if by tonight, I forget my name, remind me
for in the end it’s youth which needs to take up the torch
of perspective and change–
I breathe deeply, as eyelids open to affirmation in the line
of your mouth.

 

 

Photo credits: Pinterest

Posted on ‘Anmol’s Challenge’ @ Real Toads

& Posted on ‘Open Link Night’ @ dVerse Pub

& Posted on Poetry Pantry @ Poets United

58 thoughts on “Over the river and through the woods, we tread knowing well what’s ahead of us

  1. Kerry says:

    They say
    there is something better waiting down the road,
    but how can we fashion what’s to come
    when the bondage of past continues to plague us?

    I like the way you have included this, ‘They say’ statement which provides a different perspective on individual experience. Your poem is so well-written. I can relate to the mood.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Kerry πŸ˜€ so glad the poem resonated with you ❀️

  2. The title intrigued me, Sanaa. I like the contrast of the frost growing over the windows and fire-filled chest, and then the dramatic, passionate leap to embrace and kiss, to the dark, decadent touch, burning desire and sigh.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Kim πŸ˜€ so glad you liked it ❀️

  3. Herotomost says:

    This is a social comment extraordinaire, touching all corners . It is up to the youth to dust them, rebuild, re think those corners for they are the pillars that allow change. Beautiful and idealistic… I love it!!!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Corey πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it ❀️

  4. Old Egg says:

    I always thought that the young were not concerned about the bondage of the past; that was the beauty of being young, experimenting with life until work and love brought you to your senses. However the sensuousness of the last verse blew me away it is marvellous. Your readers will always be mesmerised with your writing Sanaa.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Robin πŸ˜€ so glad you liked it ❀️

  5. If we are to find something down the road, we should desire it, find it, live it, start it…Oh, this is beautiful.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Susie πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it ❀️

  6. Helen says:

    Ah, yes …. the world we live in requires something of sweetness to get us through …. way too many days.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Helen πŸ˜€ so glad the poem resonated with you ❀️

  7. Vivian Zems says:

    There is a sense of darkness to light in your poem. What resonated with me the most was the idea of the bondage of the past continuing to plague us. Will it ever stop? An insightful write.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Vivian πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it ❀️

  8. Toni Spencer says:

    Bondage to the past. We see that too often over here in American, too much of whining and fussing about things that are well past. Good take on it.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Toni πŸ™‚ so glad the poem resonated with you ❀️

  9. lillian says:

    Ah you do know how to pen a sensuous verse!
    But these lines are the ones that strike me the most today….
    “The world before us is shrouded in smoke,
    and we as a nation are fed sweet milk
    in the form of media–
    what disconcerted times are we living in?”

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Lillian πŸ˜€ so glad you liked it ❀️

  10. Bjorn Rudberg says:

    This layered poem is great with the lovemaking being a repose against the terror of past and the news. Make me think of the poems by Carilda_Oliver_Labra who wrote some amazing poem filled with the tension of the missile crisis in Cuba and love.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Bjorn πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it ❀️

  11. Sensuous and beautiful Sanaa.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Linda πŸ˜€ so good to see you ❀️

  12. This is fantastic, as usual, Sanaa! My favorite part is “touch me darkly, decadently / as the wind does to a rosebud–” By the way, I love your titles; they could be poems just by themselves!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Jenna πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it ❀️

  13. Jade Li says:

    Interesting combination of eroticism with politics. I love the line with the rose petal. I’m wondering this poem came before your husband’s back going out πŸ˜‰

    1. Sanaa says:

      I am single!! Thank you so much, Jade πŸ™‚ so glad you liked it ❀️

  14. Jade Li says:

    Oops, Sanaa, I thought this was Linda’s poem! Please forgive me and strike the last sentence ok? Again, sorry!

    1. Sanaa says:

      No worries ❀️

  15. Frank Hubeny says:

    Nice description of the media: “and we as a nation are fed sweet milk
    in the form of media–”

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Frank πŸ˜€ so glad you liked it ❀️

  16. Pat R says:

    Wow! There is passion, foreboding, escaping.. a good amount to think about here. I like poems that make me think. Nicely done.

    Pat

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Pat πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it ❀️

  17. the contrast between the ugly truth and the tenderness of love is so well played!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Rosemarie πŸ˜€ so glad the poem resonated with you ❀️

  18. I agree with everyone else! A remarkable piece.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Rosemary πŸ˜€ so glad you liked it ❀️

  19. Rommy says:

    It’s love that makes us want to fight on for a better world, as well as offers us a balm when we think we can’t possible go on.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Rommy πŸ˜€ so glad the poem resonated with you ❀️

  20. Thotpurge says:

    Intriguing – a poem about life or the times we live in?

    1. Sanaa says:

      ❀️❀️❀️❀️

  21. Beautiful, striking images–I liked the comparison/contrast between the lovers and the world around us. It made me think of Dr. Zhivago. πŸ™‚

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Merril πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it ❀️

  22. Each time I read this, I get a different point of view. I’m becoming more of a fan of your writing, Sanaa

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Stranded Tree πŸ˜€ so glad you liked it ❀️

  23. I love the touching as the wind does to a rosebud. With the mess the world is in, I can well imagine young people want to escape into romance and pretend for a little while that the world has not gone mad. Sigh.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Sherry πŸ˜€ so glad the poem resonated with you ❀️

  24. You’ve really brought to life the chafing contrast between the tender, loving people we can be in our private lives and the hard society we create for all to live in. Well done!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, H πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it ❀️

  25. Chrissa says:

    The contrasts in this are amazing. The shift between pleasure and decay, the offer and rescinding of ease…it’s like passing a fire and remembering the chill afterward.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Chrissa πŸ˜€ so glad you liked it ❀️

  26. Yes, adults need to play more. Media is one thing, but it’s propaganda I need to escape from.

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Colleen πŸ˜€ so glad the poem resonated with you ❀️

  27. Wendy Bourke says:

    frost … and freezing … and smoke … and burning … the contrasts in this piece work so well and make for a compelling read. Good writing!

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Wendy πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it ❀️

  28. The past has a way to stick to the bones. And sometimes, it’s so hard to figure out how to use it for good. Especially these days…

    1. Sanaa says:

      Thank you so much, Magaly πŸ˜€ so glad the poem resonated with you ❀️

  29. HA says:

    Such a magnificent verse, Sanaa! Your words speak of this prevailing anguish and uncertainty, while also denoting the power and strength that still persists. I love, love these lines: “and if by tonight, I forget my name, remind me/for in the end it’s youth which needs to take up the torch/of perspective and change”.

    Arz kiya hai,
    “Faiz thi raah sar-ba-sar manzil
    Hum jahan pahunche kamyab aye”.

    P.s. I apologize for such a long delay in reading and responding to your take on the prompt. πŸ™‚

    1. Sanaa says:

      Waah waah! ❀️ To that I would have to say;

      “Bol ke lab aazaad hain tere, bol zabaan ab tak terii hai.
      tera sutawaan jism hai tera, bol ki jaan ab tak terii hai!”

      Thank you so much, Anmol πŸ˜€ so glad you enjoyed it! ❀️

      (and thank you for the glorious prompt) 🌹

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