54. Holiness of the Heart

Posted on November 13, 2009 by iPoem

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Review of Holiness Of The Heart

Here, the poet speaks with a reverent voice, exploring love not just as an emotion, but as a sacred force, a spiritual currency that transcends the mundane.

Right from the opening lines:

“Yes! / There is a holiness to the heart’s affections / When one is moved in purity and truth”

There’s a bold declaration, a strong, almost liturgical tone, setting love on a pedestal as something profound and holy. The poet reminds us that genuine affection is a divine act, an encounter with “The Divine” itself—an idea both timeless and urgent.

This poem brilliantly contrasts innocence with the harsh realities of a world that too often exploits vulnerability:

“It is still so wonderfully innocent / In an age where innocence / Is rapidly being obliterated by ‘progress’ / And vulnerability is seen as an opportunity / For exploitation”

There’s a deep cultural critique here, woven seamlessly into the tender meditation on love. The poet is urging readers to preserve and honor the heart’s affections as sacred, precious, and in need of protection.

The spiritual arc continues:

“To evolve through love / Is the greatest spiritual teaching on Earth”

This is a beautiful distillation of a universal truth—the idea that love is the key to personal and collective growth, moving us from the personal to the transpersonal, and finally to the universal. The poem becomes a kind of spiritual roadmap.

The imagery is radiant:

“Emanating like ‘The Sun’ / Fostering life, where previously there was none / An illumination of the soul”

Love here is a life-giving, soul-illuminating force, and the metaphor of the sun perfectly captures its essential, nurturing power. It’s warm, inexhaustible, and necessary.

Ending on a call to conscious choice:

“A conscious choice, everyday! / There really is only ‘one’ way forwards / Everything else, is resistance.”

This gives the poem a strong, empowering conclusion. Love is not just a passive feeling; it’s an active, deliberate path—the true way forward amidst life’s complexity.

Why This Poem Matters

Holiness Of The Heart is a testament to the poet’s ability to weave together spiritual wisdom, cultural commentary, and heartfelt truth with elegance and grace. The poem communicates nuance and depth in a way that feels both intimate and universal, speaking to the shared human longing for love that is genuine, transformative, and sacred.

For readers, this poem is a gentle but firm reminder to honor love as a powerful force for healing and growth—something worth protecting, nurturing, and consciously choosing every day.

In Conclusion

The poet’s skill shines in this piece through their ability to balance vulnerability with strength, critique with hope, and everyday feeling with spiritual insight. Holiness Of The Heart invites readers not only to reflect on their own experiences of love but also to recognize its deeper significance in the grander scheme of life.

This poem, like many in the collection, offers a beacon of light and truth—beautifully crafted, deeply felt, and ready to inspire anyone who picks up the book.

46. Soul Musing

Posted on October 25, 2007 by iPoem

Review of Soul Musing

In “Soul Musing,” the poet emerges as both a prophet and a savant, casting a penetrating eye upon the modern world and dissecting its cultural and spiritual dissonance. This is not a poem simply about the external: the poisonous allure of advertising, the commodification of the self, or the collapse of genuine human connection. Rather, it is an invocation—a manifesto—for awakening, a stark reminder that the truths we seek are not sold to us in flashy marketing campaigns but must be reclaimed through conscious resistance and spiritual clarity.

The writing is bold, expansive, and unrelenting. The poet’s ability to capture the malaise of contemporary existence with such precision is nothing short of remarkable. Lines like

“I observe, witness, hundreds and thousands / Of young skinny sinuous souls / Being stretched beyond the misshapen limits / Of human endurance”
are not mere commentary but prophetic warnings. The dissection of the external forces manipulating the vulnerable is biting, especially when we hear of “patented copyright protected DNA” and “keyhole addictions”—the tools of a system designed to control and commodify the self.

Yet, it is not simply a critique of the world; it’s a manifesto for those seeking truth in the midst of disillusionment. The poet urges us to turn away from the distractions and illusions of society:

“Resistances to uncomfortable emotions / Unsettling unavailable solutions / Access denied to people’s hearts, the truth.”
This call to action—an urgent reminder that our own integrity and truth lie within, rather than in the external world—is underscored by the striking use of paradox:
“Can’t buy me love, can’t buy your love / Can’t buy my way through emotional unavailability.”

In a world where everything is bought and sold, the poet dares to speak about the currency of authenticity and soul connection, both of which cannot be purchased in the market, but must be cultivated and lived. The poem is a reminder that emotional and spiritual availability require radical commitment to self and truth.

Summary of Themes

At its core, “Soul Musing” is a direct confrontation with the false idols of contemporary culture. It is a rebuke of consumerism, the dehumanizing effects of modernity, and the illusion of progress offered by a society increasingly driven by superficial aesthetics. The poem explores the tension between the individual’s internal world and the overwhelming forces of commercial, social, and media pressures. But it also holds the seed of hope, urging the reader to transcend these distractions and connect to a higher, more universal truth.

In layering cultural critique with spiritual insight, the poem asks its readers to question the narratives we are sold, to resist the seductive pull of hollow promises, and to recognize that the answers we seek—the ones that could lead us back to wholeness—are already within us.

Conclusion

“Soul Musing” is an evocative, powerful piece that invites readers to reckon with the fragility of contemporary existence and the urgent need for personal awakening. Through a deft mixture of scathing critique and spiritual rallying cry, the poet calls for nothing less than a radical return to authenticity—a return to truth, love, and the soul’s highest potential.

The language is fierce, uncompromising, and deeply reflective of the poet’s mastery of emotional nuance. The clarity with which the poet paints the shadows of modern life makes the message not just resonant, but imperative. For anyone seeking to understand the deeper currents of human experience and the subtle forces that shape our lives, this poem serves as both a guide and a warning. It is a bold, unapologetic rallying cry for those willing to awaken and reject the illusory world that has been sold to us.

If you are ready to question, resist, and reclaim your inner truth, then “Soul Musing” is not just a poem, but a call to arms in the quiet war for personal and collective freedom.