perpetuity is the play now

perpetuity is the play now

 

 

i've drifted into a backdrop

the forefront

frazzled my intuition

sharp as it was

the terror has crept closer

 

in the last century 

i dotted my i's and crossed my t's

now they are just shrapnel letters

that join together

in strange allowance

 

meaning is walking under a ladder

of imminent repose

i suppose there is a hint

of black magic

God's silver ball

 

he's left the room

the others, like confused angels

stare blankly

the i's and t's left uncrossed

there is no signature

 

we are stranded

all stranded.

 

 

erin-cilberto

6/19/25

Reviews

[DecentlyOkayWriter]

the others, like confused angels
stare blankly
the i's and t's left uncrossed
. . .

I've always been one to dot my i's and cross my t's, as the name given to me contains so many L's, T's, and I's that if I was to be left unchecked it would be a jumble. As my opinion on that name has changed, and my signature with it, sometimes my signage is left as just that; a jumble that would lead you into perpetuity to decipher. Maybe that says something about me.

Thanks for writing this, was something nice to roll around in my head for a bit.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for letting it roll around a while...
j.

[Desert Knave]

I get in such a hurry to cross my t's that often I cross the l before it in some words. Yeah, attention to detail seems to be getting pushed out of fashion, but I have no choice (If I left them askew it'd eat at me). ~Jim

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Same here, Jim. Thanks for your thoughts on this topic...
j.

[Chris Shaw]

I still dot my i’s and cross my t’s. Detail is important, I don’t like vagueness, there is too much of it these days. I don’t like those that sit on the fence keeping you guessing.

we are stranded
all stranded

I feel as though my country has turned into the Titanic. We are sinking and fast. The Captain has already jumped ship.

An interesting piece j which has a political flavour for me.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

You are spot on, Chris. Thanks for your insightful words.
j.

[andrew mitchell]

Would we be superstitious if we weren’t told, one must not walk under ladders? Probably not, more dangerous to fall off a ladder. But we go with the flow somewhat controlled like 1984 hoping we will be looked after by the elected only to be stranded when it’s abandon ship called out by the elected.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Abandon ship...I am hearing the call.

[Soren]

In later years I too have fallen into the backdrop of life. The present is jagged and cuts at times. I am a rebel at heart but dotting i's and crossing t's still seems important in a lazy world that no longer cares about sending clear messages and accepts misunderstanding as routine.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

You are so spot on with this review...misunderstanding is definitely routine now.
thank you, Soren.
j.

[Lorry]

I quite like life as part of the backdrop and not front and centre because it is too noisy with critics who insist you should dot T's and cross I's, or whatever the rules are and under no circumstances make up your own worderations and stick to the proper ones, that somehow all passed muster when words were being made up, long before someone made up the rule of no new words, which are defined in the dictionary as words in common usage, which te dictionary still allows but the grammar nazis don't! (Which flusterizes me with muchness!) 😃
I walked under a ladder once and a giant W smashed to pieces over my head. It was outside a store called oolworths I think!
And yes, I have the feeling we are stranded too Jacob. I mean, you only have to click on the online writers pages to see that there is no one online here, not even you who is definitely online or you wouldn't see that you weren't, along with all the other made up people posting and commenting while not being here.
I hope this makes sense to you because it's made me need a lie down! 😃

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Makes perfect sense....just stay away from those ladders...I remember Woolworths. We had one up in Joliet...
thanks, Lorry.
j.

[Lorry]

Everyone lobed a Woolworths, whose biggest sellers were top 40 records and pick n mix sweets, along with rather bizarrely, paint rollers but no paint. For the life of me I can't remember why they failed!
😃

[emmajoygreen]

Right or wrong, we/I have to make our own place in our own way. Tragically we can't alter what's going on in this crazy and often evil world.. but we can counter it by somehow smiling at whoever we can and our our sad-tear thoughts and live as we want to live. Is sometimes best to put head in sand and say as we arise to inhale.. 'To hell with the negative, the clouds still hover, the dewy rain still scents the scene,. children still laugh - etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

Sombre note.. said that after my/our third sibling passed through cancer.. people looked shocked when I said we live happy memories because that's what they would have wanted, insisted. Live for Life.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I understand that em.
When My dad finally passed at almost 98, we had a celebration of life service for him when we buried his ashes...that is exactly what he would have wanted. And we knew that.
I am so sorry about your sibling...and I appreciate all the thoughts you shared here.
j.

[emmajoygreen]

jacob, my long time friend - I checked the spelling!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

of??????????????????

[emmajoygreen]

You don't remember me sending you a message and miss-spelled (?) your name and called you my fiend? When I realised and apologised, your response was, 'I've been called worse!' :)

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Oh my, I am a "fiend" for not remembering that. Don't forget I am an old man now...memory not always the best! :)))

[emmajoygreen]

Having done a lot of birthday celebrating the past day, my memory has gone til I wake up.. 04.18, 23.06! Good night or good morning, sir jacob.:)

[redd Brick Keshner]

There’s a chilling beauty in the quiet unraveling of its resignation. Everything is blurred: identity, divinity, purpose. And yet, through the haze, the speaker maintains a spectral clarity. They name the feeling: we are stranded. No pretence, just the echo of truth in a void. Gripping stuff, j. 🕊️🙏🏻
Freds.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Too many echoes, Freds.
Thank you for your kind review.
j.

[poetic swan]

A haunting poem full of vivid imagery and deep emotion. It beautifully captures confusion and isolation with powerful, memorable lines.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you, poetic swan.
j.