The Beginning At Last

This Crushing Weight

—

by

Kevin
in

This crushing weight, within, without

A whisper here is like a shout

An agonizing, painful cry

Too much to live, yet not to die

Pressure pushing ever down

Wear it like a broken crown

You bear it always, this you must

Drifting dreams amidst the dust

Forgotten laughter gone away

But from this path you will not stray

Glories past are useless here

Forgotten now all you held dear

There’s nothing now except your task

‘Neath crushing weight you’ll ever bask

©The Beginning At Last, January 2024

Edit: Another old poem from earlier in the year. I updated the image and changed the formatting. Otherwise, nothing else has been changed.

Comments

58 responses to “This Crushing Weight”

  1. Destiny Avatar
    Destiny

    so well expressed, Kevin.
    at times these moments can really bring you down… if you let it🤍

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you, Destiny.
      The one truism in life: there will always be another stone to carry. It’s how we carry it that matters.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Destiny Avatar
        Destiny

        nicely said… as words to remember shared 🙏🤍

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Pooja G Avatar
    Pooja G

    “Too much to live, yet not to die” this is such a perfect description of how many of us feel sometimes. That’s exactly how I feel during depressive episodes.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you, Pooja.
      It’s an interesting dichotomy when we’re depressed. We want to give in, but something stops us, or ironically, we don’t even have the energy to do that.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Pooja G Avatar
        Pooja G

        Yup, exactly. It’s crazy how a tiny part of us fights so hard to stay alive when we’re depressed.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        Yep. There’s often a little light that says “not today”. Like a match in hurricane, but it refuses to go out.
        On some level, most of us, if even only a little bit, are programmed to survive.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Pooja G Avatar
        Pooja G

        Yeah, our brain does whatever it takes to stay alive.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. Melissa Avatar
    Melissa

    This poem feels like it’s describing my current life. So much pressure and dead dreams, but I won’t stray from my path of achieving my goals.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Remember…it’s not what or how much you are carrying, but how you carry it. You’ve done well thus far. Keep pushing.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply
  4. Bianca Alina Avatar
    Bianca Alina

    This is so beautifully written and powerful, Kevin! 👏❤️ I loved this poem!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you so much, Alina! I am glad you enjoy it! 😊😊

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Bianca Alina Avatar
        Bianca Alina

        It’s my pleasure! 😊

        Liked by 1 person

  5. Educación y más. Avatar
    Educación y más.

    NICE POST 💚💖💓

    Blessed and happy night from 🇪🇸

    Greetings 👋

    Pk 🌎 David López Moncada

    Like

    Reply
  6. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    Sounds like the torment of Sisiphus. Well done 👍🤩

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you very much Chris.
      Sometimes it’s fun digging through the vaults lol

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Chris Avatar
        Chris

        Exactly 💯😊

        Liked by 1 person

  7. Christine Avatar
    Christine

    Responsibility can be crushing. Nicely said

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you very much Christine. It can become very easy to get buried, indeed

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  8. Not all who wander are lost Avatar
    Not all who wander are lost

    You got this Atlas;) just remember even he had to have Hercules help everyone tomorrow

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      We all bear our crosses indeed. And all need help from time to time. Thank you Sarah 🙏

      Like

      Reply
  9. Nancy (The Sicilian Storyteller) Avatar
    Nancy (The Sicilian Storyteller)

    Very cool ink, Kevin! ❤︎🖋️
    Don’t let the bastards get you down! 💪🏼

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      I try not to. Not too much at least lol
      Thank you Nancy! 🙏🙏

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  10. Stephanie Avatar
    Stephanie

    “Glories past are useless here” –such a hard feeling to express and you did so beautifully.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you very much Stephanie 🙏
      We can look back and savor for a moment but we should not linger too long

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Stephanie Avatar
        Stephanie

        Staying in the present moment is being a sailboat on a wild sea. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        As long as it’s not too stormy!

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Stephanie Avatar
        Stephanie

        🙂

        Liked by 1 person

  11. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    I don’t know when you posted this as it’s not in my notifications 😆 but I apparently liked this a long time ago 😜 never commented, so I will say it’s probably a feeling we can all resonate with at many times. Well done as usual, Kevin ❤️

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you, m’lady 😊
      I would wager a guess that since you already read it once upon a time, it didn’t register as new yeah.
      Thank you so much. Hope you know how much it means to me 🥰

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Laura Avatar
        Laura

        🙏 it always means a lot to me, too 😜 😉

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        😊🤗😍

        Like

  12. Ephemeral Encounters Avatar
    Ephemeral Encounters

    I think we can all resonate with this Kevin.
    Brilliant writing my friend 🤗

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you very much Maggie 🙏
      Just been going through the archives a bit and seeing what’s kicking around in there 😊

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Ephemeral Encounters Avatar
        Ephemeral Encounters

        My pleasure Kevin.
        It is good to do,😉 especially when your flow has gone.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        Well, gone it certainly has 😄

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Ephemeral Encounters Avatar
        Ephemeral Encounters

        🙄🙄

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        The well is definitely a bit dry these days. Brain went on hiatus with NTT, I guess lol

        Liked by 1 person

      5. Ephemeral Encounters Avatar
        Ephemeral Encounters

        Mine is the same Kevin.
        I used to trt and push it, now I know not too,
        I only waste paper trying.🤣

        Liked by 1 person

      6. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        Yes, indeed. Forcing it never amounts to much of anything good. Just more aggravation lol

        Liked by 1 person

      7. Ephemeral Encounters Avatar
        Ephemeral Encounters

        Absolutely my friend 🙏🏻

        Liked by 1 person

  13. philosophy through photography Avatar
    philosophy through photography

    Kevin, this haunting lament reads like a dirge for resilience itself. The imagery of the broken crown and drifting dreams is stark and vivid—a reminder of the burdens we bear and the glimmers of hope we lose along the way. Yet, perhaps amidst the dust, we might find a seed that refuses to be forgotten.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you very much, Professor. Sometimes all we really have is a sliver of hope to hang onto. 🙏

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. philosophy through photography Avatar
        philosophy through photography

        Aprofound truth, Kevin. Even the smallest glimmer of hope can be enough to guide us through the darkest times.
        It’s often in those moments of near despair that hope becomes our most steadfast ally.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        Making it through the other side often requires it, as the way is not always immediately clear to us.

        Liked by 1 person

  14. KC Avatar
    KC

    Very good.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you very much KC 🙏

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  15. daisy Avatar
    daisy

    Beautiful post, Kevin 👏👏

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you very much Daisy 🙏

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  16. SiriusSea Avatar
    SiriusSea

    Kevin ❤ … I’m so intrigued by your poetry, but why are you being punished (looks that way) !!!? Excellent as always and wish you a “Light” Sunday with a no-pressure holiday week 🙂 !!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you, Siri. It’s an older one, so who really knows what I was thinking at that time. I can’t remember 6 minutes ago, never mind 6 months LOL!
      Well, I am off all week, so it should be fairly tame 🤞

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. SiriusSea Avatar
        SiriusSea

        Completely understand … Have a nice week ~ Wholesome Thanksgiving with all the comforts you can hold or stand 🙂 !!! oh and a side of Zaa!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        Thank you, Siri. I hope you have a great holiday week too! 😊

        Like

  17. Priti Avatar
    Priti

    Beautiful poem! We all are under pressure to lead daily life. Well shared gorilla 🦍🐒

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you. Teacher. Yes, we all know this feeling at times, I believe 🙏

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Priti Avatar
        Priti

        Yes but we are fighters 🤣🤣

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        Indeed 🥊😎

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Priti Avatar
        Priti

        😁😁💪💪💪

        Liked by 1 person

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