O at the Edges

Musings on poetry, language, perception, numbers, food, and anything else that slips through the cracks.

Year’s End

Posted on December 31, 2015 by robert okaji

Year’s End

If I lose myself in breathing,
will the air forgive my forgetfulness?

This oak, too, will stand long after
the last train exits the tunnel.

I worry that my friend may never
clamber past his lowest ambition.

Different and unabated, our words
now stumble over themselves.

Every night forms a morning somewhere:
each year, combined in our shared darkness.

63 thoughts on “Year’s End”

The Bioman on December 31, 2015 at 8:56 am said:

Thank you once again for keeping this blog.

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- robert okaji on December 31, 2015 at 8:58 am said:
  
  Thank you for reading it, B.
  
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www.kidfriendlyeurope101.com on December 31, 2015 at 9:02 am said:

Beautiful!

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 5:54 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much.
  
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solangesuri2015 on December 31, 2015 at 9:04 am said:

Beautiful! Have a fabulously enriching and magical 2016!

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- robert okaji on December 31, 2015 at 9:05 am said:
  
  Thank you ! And may your 2016 be peaceful and magical, too.
  
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pranabaxom on December 31, 2015 at 9:53 am said:

Enjoy reading all your poems. Can see 2016 at the end of the tunnel. Beautiful poem, beautiful photo.
Happy New Year.

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 5:55 pm said:
  
  Thank you. May your dreams be bet in 2016.
  
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  - pranabaxom on January 1, 2016 at 6:05 pm said:
    
    Thanks for the good wishes.
    
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  - robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 6:45 pm said:
    
    You’re very welcome.
    
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JC on December 31, 2015 at 10:07 am said:

Beautiful!

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 5:55 pm said:
  
  Thank you.
  
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deuxiemepeau on December 31, 2015 at 11:32 am said:

Beautiful, thanks for sharing and happy new year to you Robert

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 5:55 pm said:
  
  Happy New Year to you, too. Thank you.
  
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charlypriest on December 31, 2015 at 12:20 pm said:

Has been a great year to read your poems,….guess when you post again I´ll keep reading. Happy new year

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 5:56 pm said:
  
  Likewise, Charly. I look forward to what 2016 brings.
  
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Mary Tang on December 31, 2015 at 12:41 pm said:

“Every night forms a morning” however dark it has been; that’s true. We’re well into New Year’s Day here and the birds are going berserk. Happy Day, Happy Year to you, Bob.

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 5:57 pm said:
  
  Glorious Happy Day, which I spent trimming trees and clearing brush. May your year (and orchard) be fruitful, Mary!
  
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  - Mary Tang on January 1, 2016 at 9:09 pm said:
    
    Thank you, Bob; I’ve been doing more or less the same here Down Under 🙂
    
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  - robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 9:45 pm said:
    
    This evening my arthritic joints are complaining, but I still have a smile on my face.
    
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Laine Anne Jensen on December 31, 2015 at 1:15 pm said:

Wonderful – Happy New Year Robert!

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 5:58 pm said:
  
  And back at you, LAJ! Thank you.
  
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krysiakorsak on December 31, 2015 at 2:15 pm said:

Stunning, mystical…words fail me. Your writing reaches heights ethereal…thank you for this New Year gift. My good wishes to you for 2016… And continued inspiration.

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 5:59 pm said:
  
  Thank you very much, Krys. I appreciate your good thoughts and kind words.
  
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10000hoursleft on December 31, 2015 at 2:57 pm said:

Happy New Year Bob! Hope you have a year rich in inspiration and poetry in the ordinary that translate to poems that are extraordinary 😊

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 6:00 pm said:
  
  Thank you, Mek. I hope your year, too, is productive and rich.
  
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  - 10000hoursleft on January 1, 2016 at 6:17 pm said:
    
    Thanks 😊
    
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Muse Cruse on December 31, 2015 at 4:23 pm said:

This has a lovely sadness to it. I agree, you write extraordinary poetry. Blessed New Year to you.

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 6:00 pm said:
  
  Thanks very much. And a wondrous New Year, to you.
  
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  - Muse Cruse on January 1, 2016 at 7:06 pm said:
    
    Thank you so much 🙂
    
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distantshipsmoke on December 31, 2015 at 6:17 pm said:

Happy New Year!

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 6:00 pm said:
  
  And to you, as well.
  
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Jarrod C on December 31, 2015 at 6:46 pm said:

Robert, wishing you the best in 2016!

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 6:02 pm said:
  
  Thank you, Jarrod.
  
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Daniel Schnee on December 31, 2015 at 7:15 pm said:

あけましておめでとうございます!!

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rivrvlogr on December 31, 2015 at 7:50 pm said:

Your first verse… Such an integral part of a moment, once you discover it.

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 6:02 pm said:
  
  Thank you, Ken. May your new year be peaceful and joyous.
  
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A Former Prison Librarian on December 31, 2015 at 9:52 pm said:

Profoundly poignant poetry.

Wishing you the best for 2016, Robert.

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 6:03 pm said:
  
  Thank you so much. And I hope that 2016 meets your expectations, and then some!
  
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simonfalk28 on January 1, 2016 at 12:23 am said:

Robert you continue to combine such evocative images to match your fine words. Thanks yet again!

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 6:04 pm said:
  
  Thank you, Simon. I appreciate your visits and kind comments.
  
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  - simonfalk28 on January 1, 2016 at 7:44 pm said:
    
    You’re welcome.
    
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john hauge on January 1, 2016 at 6:39 am said:

happy new year, robert.

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 6:04 pm said:
  
  The same to you, John. And thank you.
  
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D. Wallace Peach on January 1, 2016 at 3:32 pm said:

Beautiful and wistful poem.

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- robert okaji on January 1, 2016 at 6:05 pm said:
  
  You are very kind. Thank you.
  
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linnetmoss on January 1, 2016 at 6:11 pm said:

I’m glad there is a light at the end of that tunnel! Happy 2016!

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- robert okaji on January 2, 2016 at 6:48 am said:
  
  Just a little, but it’s enough.
  
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Pingback: A New Day – A New Year | Confessions of a Prison Librarian
Nurse Kelly on January 4, 2016 at 8:24 am said:

Beautiful and happy new year, Robert!

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- robert okaji on January 4, 2016 at 8:27 am said:
  
  And to you, Kelly. Thank you.
  
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  - Nurse Kelly on January 4, 2016 at 8:29 am said:
    
    Very welcome! 🙂
    
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glenncogar on January 4, 2016 at 6:01 pm said:

That looks like a train tunnel I know seriously :)… Germany, Switzerland? Thanks for popping into my blog and connecting. I am checking out your blog as well Are you part of Blogging101 from Blogging University? or did you find me another way?

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- robert okaji on January 4, 2016 at 6:28 pm said:
  
  I’m not certain where that tunnel is – I found the image on morguefile.com. I found your blog via the reader- I’m not participating in Blogging 101. Thanks or stopping by.
  
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michnavs on January 5, 2016 at 6:51 pm said:

The first verse gave me a lump in my throat feeling

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- robert okaji on January 5, 2016 at 9:12 pm said:
  
  That is all I could ever ask for. Thank you.
  
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  - michnavs on January 6, 2016 at 1:54 am said:
    
    Your welcome robert.. i am enjoying also some of your posts which i haven’t read yet
    
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kukupassion on January 12, 2016 at 3:19 am said:

Beautiful. Always inspiring. Rich.

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- robert okaji on January 12, 2016 at 5:53 am said:
  
  Thank you.
  
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Crosslife's Space on January 25, 2016 at 10:07 am said:

“This oak, too, will stand long after
the last train exits the tunnel.”
A staying power over changes (like motion).

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- robert okaji on January 25, 2016 at 1:45 pm said:
  
  One can hope.
  
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Nick Chin on January 30, 2016 at 2:58 pm said:

Deep and laden with thoughtfulness; Provoking old memories and giving an appreciation of a new morn, literally and figuratively. In so few words this poem speaks volumes. Thanks for such a wonderful piece of literature!

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- robert okaji on January 30, 2016 at 5:46 pm said:
  
  Thanks so much, Nick. You’ve made my day.
  
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