If I could hold the world
in my hands,
and mold it into the world
I wanted it to be,
then I would have to make two,
for the world I would make
would not be the one for you,
and then,
I would have to make three,
no, four, then many more.
If I could fashion balloons
into stairs,
would I have the courage to make
the climb,
to face at the top all I had climbed
to find,
and then, how much courage would
it take to climb back down
to face all I had left behind,
how much, indeed?
If we faced the day with arms
raised in an intimate embrace
of the sun,
the day may be more inclined
to light our way,
and if we were to paint
the night we want upon
a wall, would we leave
out our fears,
or scatter them among the stars?
Taken from the opening slide show on the site
of photographer Joel Robison for dVerse
Awakened Words 
I enjoyed the poem even more when I saw the photos that inspired it. I’m usually not a fan of this type of photography, but I came across Robison’s art some time ago and thought it was wonderful. You’ve done a great job putting the images into words.
Sorry, again no criticism, constructive or not. Scratch that, one thing: you might want to add “to” in “…how much courage would it take (to) climb back down…”
🙂 I had just noticed that, and the need for a “?” at the end.
I want to imagine I can make many more worlds if I can ~ I like your take on courage in the second stanza ~ Looks like we need 2x or even 5x more courage to face all that we have left behind ~
I want to scatter my fear amongst the stars ~
Beautiful reflections Mark ~ Thanks for joining in ~
This really is a beautifully written ome, Mark.
I like that you chose to write to the slide show rather than to one photo. You managed to write a piece that still feels whole. My favorite stanza is the third one.
pretty cool thoughts around creating those worlds…it was the ascending and then descending part that really got me though mark…because i think that once up, it is often hard to take that back down…really cool response…
Painting the wall we want and leaving out illusory fears..is something attainable i think..i know in fact..but so dam hard to get there..but when one is there i only know whatever cost without fear..is worth it every now without it..true..:)
I love the whole concept of this poem. It reads beautifully.
The second stanza… what really touched me was the climbing back.. that to me is the concept of compassion of not leaving anything behind.. at first it seems a burden, but I’m sure that there will be new balloons to get up .. much more.
“and then, how much courage would
it take to climb back down
to face all I had left behind”….thought provoking lines…climbing is not about climbing up only, we have to think of the reverse journey, if needed…