Nothing Left To Say
A Poetic Gesture
Do you ever feel like you’re speaking into a void? Especially in the modern online world?
When I first wrote this back in 2000 I was not in the best of places emotionally, and thus it was a very personal piece - so much so, I don’t think I have ever shared it online before. I was tired, discouraged, and utterly fed-up with my life (and the world around me) at that time.
Heck, I was even still a cig smoker back then.
Now, however? Reading it today, when considering my current frustration with politicians and judges and grifters, hot-takes and algorithms, and pretty much everything on social platforms… and my efforts to break free of ALL of them? It speaks to my current vibe in a unique way, especially compared to when I first wrote it.
BUT… it still speaks to me; 26 years later, it still matters to me, just differently than it did then. Weird, how that happens sometimes.
Anyhow, I thought I’d share it with you here…
Nothing Left To Say
Too many years of cigarettes -
too many months of sound,
too many weeks of searching and yearning
for things that can’t be found.
Too much time spent on hoping
for a life just out of reach,
too much effort spent on believing
the lies they’re taught to teach.
Why do I bother to open my mouth
when it’s all been said before,
it is so frustrating to try to explain
when there’s nothing left to explore.
To hoist a black-flag in a final war -
the temptation just won’t go away,
why do I bother to open my mouth
when there is nothing left to say.
Too many hours drifting through fog -
too many emotional plays,
too much diligence wasted on salvaging
that which cannot be saved.
Too many losses of too many dreams -
too many futile turns,
too many acts wasted on people
who give nothing in return.
Why do I bother to open my mouth -
to speak to a soundless void,
the lessons I’ve learned throughout these years
are impossible to employ.
No one is listening - and I don’t really care,
no reason to explain,
I’m not going to bother to open my mouth
when I have nothing left to say.
Words… Images… Vibes. Follow me on Ko-fi…
I don’t see that there can be many people out there who will not be able to relate to these words. For my first 50-odd years, I felt eerily similar as you did/do. Now I’m in the opposite scenario, and I’d make a case that it’s worse.
I’ve since found out why your message seems to be especially true for so many, but I struggle titanically (?) trying to figure out how to get my message out there.
There is, most certainly, one more thing to say, and that’s how things came to be this way. Buuuut:
Can’t be too religious, can’t be boring. Can’t write like an old curmudgeon, have to respect that no one’s ready to hear my message as is. Have to decide-non-fiction or fiction. How can the story best elucidate the message?
I feel for you, my brother, but, sadly, as my introduction says: you are not ready to read this book, and I am not ready to write it.
😞👹
"Too many hours drifting through fog -
too many emotional plays,
too much diligence wasted on salvaging
that which cannot be saved.
Too many losses of too many dreams -
too many futile turns,
too many acts wasted on people
who give nothing in return."
"Why do I bother to open my mouth -
to speak to a soundless void,"~~to add your sound
"the lessons I’ve learned throughout these years
are impossible to employ."~~are they? look at your list above
"No one is listening - and I don’t really care,
no reason to explain,"~~yes we are
"I’m not going to bother to open my mouth
when I have nothing left to say."~~ancient advice
soul song. as long as breath 💙