I just read In An Instant, and I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated its depth and clarity. Your poem captures the fragility and mystery of life’s beginning and the inevitability of its end with a calm, reflective tone that stays with the reader. The repetition of “I was born in an instant” is especially effective—it feels rhythmic, almost like a heartbeat that echoes the passage of time.
The philosophical themes, particularly in the closing lines, are powerful. The line “If we're not busy being born, we're already busy dying” struck me as profound—it’s a thought that lingers. You’ve managed to express a universal truth in a very compact form, and that’s no easy task.
If I may offer a suggestion, I think the poem would be even stronger with more specific imagery. While metaphors like “building up our Mountain” and “depleting my life’s well” work symbolically, grounding them with more concrete or personal visuals could deepen the emotional connection even more.
Overall, this was a beautiful, meditative piece, and I’m glad I came across it. Thank you for sharing it. I’ll be keeping an eye out for more of your work.
A powerful, poetic rejection of the age-old proverb, “You are the company you keep.” This poem challenges that notion with fierce imagery and deep introspection. Lines like “I’m the whisper in the riot’s roar” capture the speaker’s defiance against judgment and societal expectation. While a few rhythm and grammar tweaks could improve the flow, the message is clear: identity is shaped by the choices we make, not by who we’re surrounded by. A bold, thought-provoking read that stays with you long after the last line.
I just finished reading “In the Beginning,” and I felt compelled to reach out and thank you for writing such a profound and beautifully woven piece.
Your portrayal of the spiritual journey—the search for depth, the repeated cycles of unity and divergence, and the ever-narrowing path toward truth—resonated deeply with me. The metaphors you used, from the shifting lines of people to the changing spiritual "meals," captured the hunger of the soul in a way that's both poetic and raw. It’s rare to read something that echoes both personal experience and universal longing so clearly.
The image of two souls clinging to each other at the end, holding each other up and feeding on “fresh spiritual meat” while looking toward the heavens, will stay with me for a long time. It’s tender, true, and beautifully sacred.
Thank you for honoring your friends' journey with such care, and for sharing this with the rest of us. I felt seen in these words.
I recently read your piece “Folded Red White and Blue,” and I wanted to thank you personally for writing something so quietly powerful and deeply human.
What struck me most was the way you captured the layers of meaning behind the American flag—not just as a national symbol, but as something personal, earned, and sacred through lived experience. The Marine’s words were raw, honest, and unforgettable. His response didn’t just correct a child’s innocent misunderstanding; it reframed the flag from something ceremonial into something deeply tied to sacrifice, memory, and honor.
Your story manages to say more in a few paragraphs than many books do in entire chapters. It reminded me that patriotism isn’t always loud or polished—it can be quiet, worn, sweat-stained, and carried in a pocket through a war zone. The closing moment, with your son receiving a flag for his own journey, brought the message full circle with heartbreaking grace.
Thank you for sharing this moment from your life. I won’t forget it.
This is an exciting and relevant monologue which has some really salient mental health themes. It speaks to the often hidden nature of emotional suffering, and asks readers to think about their own responsiveness, compassion, and assertiveness. With a few stylistic adjustments, I can see it being even more powerful.
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