Vision Quest Revisited

In 1999 I came across a collection of poetry I had written during the mid to late 70's. After rereading the work a few times, I began to write new pieces which were in one way or another reactions to or in some ways inspired by the earlier work. I recently came upon that manuscript once again and have decide to present selected excerpts here.

In some instances, work dated 1999 or 2009 is not preceded by an earlier work. This is because the original work has been edited out of the present manuscript. All work is copyrighted by the the author, Craig Parks- 2009.

Some of the things
I've learned most about
still cause me the most confusion

1999
That doesn't bother me

Listen

Something has happened to you-
Your voice has changed
It's now very gentle

Listen for the sound of love
in your own voice




Sometimes I think it would be better if I didn't talk at all

1999
there were times
when I nearly forgot how to talk.




One day I noticed the word inherent.
My attention focused on "in her."
I opened my old dictionary.
The definition began "permanently united"
Sometimes it's like that.



What about love that seems to have lost its life?
Could it be that there is just so much unfinished business
That is getting in the way?


Note to Authors
perhaps we shouldn't do anything to our characters
that we wouldn't want done to ourselves.

2009
causing your characters to suffer
when there is no good reason for it
may well be a form of pornography-
without any redeeming value.


If you give your love expecting
something in return- perhaps you are trading
and not really giving

Maybe trading is OK
IF you and the other person know that
that is what you are doing




AFRAID to be who you really are?


There we were
With nothing but our emptiness
There we were
Hurting in all the same places







more next time... if you like