Tony Holden Poems: These last couple of years have been difficult - getting older, health-wise and because of some grim world affairs. We – like so many we know – have dug deep into friendships and into our own creativity and spirituality. So, editing my ‘Complete poems [1960 on]’ and making this ‘Selected Poems May 2022’ has been a tough but enjoyable part of that process. It’s certainly true that survival and fulfilment are indeed part of our lifelong learning and our lifelong journey: that ‘transforming search’.
I did so enjoy the running, May 2002
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In the dream I was lost
Running through the streets
And squares of a vast unknown city.
Whichever road I tested
I couldn’t find my way,
Whatever the effort I put in
I couldn’t find the exit,
However hard I thought of a solution,
I remained stuck.
Then - near the sea,
I realized there was no one
Going to befriend or advise or direct me,
I was powerless, frightened, exhausted.
And, as I turned back inland,
Running hard, [doing my very best],
I felt the urgent need to leave this dream
And I chose to waken up -
I stepped out into my own life
Embraced this ‘transforming search’
Used my meditation exercises and knew
The human grace of ‘suffering, joy and struggle.’
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