loosely bound

loosely bound

 

 

this poem is a five-story

apartment building

overlooking a New York moment

of birth, mirth

rivers of experience

sidewalks of solid gold memories

 

I was there once,

I am here twice

middle age and hair turning white

as the snows that bury the city

in winter

 

I have climbed those stairs

so often

that love has tired me

and now I just sit in that apartment

heart stirring silently

keeping the plot simple

 

I look out the window

and my life floats by

like cumulus

 

as I accumulate

words to describe

skyscraper regrets

as I jump into tomorrow

 

wondering where I will land

when it matters most.

 

 

erin-cilberto

5/8/25

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Dear j, I have never lived in a high rise apartment. I have never had to contemplate a mountain of stairs before I could open my door. And I have never had to view the world from a height. I have been very grounded:) Your reflections here, tell me that we have to make the most of what we do have. We have to make our own gold wherever we find ourselves. Regrets? Most of us have had a few on our journey through life. Wherever tomorrow takes you, you will be fine. You are a survivor my friend.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for your encouraging words, Chris.
j.

[redzone]

I can relate to those 5 story apartment buildings; those trips up and down those stairs. Hard work even when young, though not as out of breath. We had them in Brooklyn too. 6 floors, if you count the rooftop patios where music, dancing, laughing, and poetry could often be seen/heard.

I think though, wherever one lands, there will be a "splat" and it will matter to all that one knows. We may have many regrets, but the biggest regret will be not having that person around anymore. SPLAT!!!

-Curt

[jacob erin-cilberto]

We had good family friends who lived in Brooklyn. We would always drive past Ebetts Field when we visited them. I can imagine you could relate.

[Soren]

If this is not a metaphor shoot me. I at times feel like an apartment building as well alone on one floor but with multiple occupants. Time passes out the window and so many memories inside. It seems as though I lived here once long ago and now I find myself here again but with a snow covered roof this time. What does tomorrow hold and yes where will I land. A poem that brings feelings of times past, lost, and golden and where the future will go. Very nice Jacob

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for your kind review, Soren.
j.

[Desert Knave]

I like the visual of climbing those stairs again and again. Nicely done. ~Jim

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, Jim.
j.

[Sami Khalil]

Heavy on the heart reminiscing and then accepting fate at the end; the poet looks back to dear memories then forward to eternal bliss.
Whoeeeee!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, Sami.
j.

[Sami Khalil]

You are welcome.