An Ice-Bound Heart Poem by Hugh Cobb

An Ice-Bound Heart

Rating: 4.2


Encased in indifferent ice
glacial heart beats slowly, coolly
caring less about others' needs
than preserving spirit's isolation;
or, caught in ego's snares,
thinks only of itself.
What an isolated soul it is:
seeing only its reflection
frozen in winter's frosty panes.

Can nothing crack the ice,
penetrate to spirit's depth
melt glacial walls
& let uncorrupted love enter,
laughing with joy?
Can such a heart,
(frigid & safe behind
accumulated rime)
ever take pleasure
other than isolation's illusory dance?
How then will it learn:

We all are connected; unique yet same.
Each of us carries Divinity's spark.
It matters not our heritage nor our name.
Disregarding others we stay lost in the dark,
Empty, cold & so forlorn,
'twere better we were never born
than waste our gifts in empty show,
Lock'd within self, nowhere to go:
always nose 'gainst glass press'd firm
Gazing outward o'er a glacial berm,
Surrounded by a self-made wall of ice
Never to know or enter paradise.

(Copyright 12/11/2005)

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Joseph Daly 12 December 2005

This is brilliant Hugh. I like the ambiguity: is this about a person; an object or just a feeling (indifference perhaps?) itself. Well constructed and thought out. I was particularly taken by the final two lines which seem to confirm the ambiguous theme.

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Uriah Hamilton 13 December 2005

Boy, I've felt this poem! Quite often the unhappy loner but still believing in humanity!

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Linda Hepner 14 December 2005

Funny to read this today: I have just put into poemhunt a (less serious) poem (Rachel) about a frozen woman. Yours comes from the heart... I doubt that heart is yours.

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Raynette Eitel 25 February 2006

'Surrounded by a self-made wall of ice' is key to this whole poem, I think. I wish people could understand it is something they do to themselves. Very nice write, Hugh, but may I suggest dropping the old language such as o'er and using more contemporary language? When you use the old English, the poem seems dated...and this poem certainly is very up to date. Raynette

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Scarlett Treat 24 February 2006

I wrote a poem called 'Candy Store Window' because I was always so sorry for the ones on the outside, looking in, but a fellow PHer wrote me and asked, 'What about those who are on the inside, have it all, and are still alone? ' Your poem made me think of what she said, because it so made me feel the aloneness of that person inside the ice wall. Scarlett gives this a 10 and says, 'Well Said! ! '

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Martin A. Ramos 21 December 2005

Neat metaphors, Hugh, and a fine job all around. Two suggestions: eliminate 'slowly' second line, as redundant, and 'lonely soul' sounds like a cliché. Otherwise, 'coolly' done. Martin

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G. Murdock 20 December 2005

You've produced the image of the face of winter staring into the warm interiors of holiday houses. Like a voyuer this winter face can only press his face against the frosty panes. That's what I would like to think. I know this runs much deeper into the interior. A sad poem, yet a good poem. Thanks, Hugh

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Cj Heck 14 December 2005

Excellent poem, Hugh, describing the lonely heart - I do hope this isn't a self-portrait, though. You have so much love inside to share! Warmest regards and respect, CJ

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