63 Comments
User's avatar
Brandi Lynn's avatar

That last line about eternity living in an endless embrace, rather than heaven, perfectly captures how the most profound worship happens right here on earth when we finally let our guard down. Great write Mark ✨

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

Thank you Brandi! Wow - such a wonderful comment! ✨

Sattie R's avatar

Bestill my heart. This made me 🫠

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

thank you, Sattie 🫠

Sara da Encarnação's avatar

Well, amazing!!!!!

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

Thanks, Sara! ❤️

Thirty Poems's avatar

I feel these longer forms with a more conversational voice let us know more about you, whereas your shorter-line poems let us know more about your world. I enjoy both forms, though. 💛

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

Thank you so much, @Thirty Poems! That’s a lovely observation and yes, they have a slightly different area I’m exploring internally and into written form. Glad you like both! 🤍

Roger Browne's avatar

yeah, the worship in it, my undoing. 💕

nina's avatar

Mark!!!

haha

🩶

AsukaHotaru's avatar

Held by hands that never needed to possess it. I got to that and had to look away from my phone for a second like I'd walked in on something... The whole poem is doing this slow open-handed thing where nothing is grabbed at, and then you ask to meet the version of someone that only shows up when nobody's watching, which is such an enormous ask made so softly. Undone is not too strong a word for what happened to me here. Whatever you've been testing quietly, Sensei, it worked, and I hope you keep going in this direction because this is the one~

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

Thank you so much, dear Asuka! You’ve captured perfectly the piece, and maybe something like an overheard conversation, rather than a story. I’m glad you felt a little undone when reading and you like the direction 💙

per LEY's avatar

Mark, this feels less like a poem about love and more like a poem about surrender.

There is a remarkable softness in allowing yourself to be undone by something beautiful instead of trying to remain untouched by it.

Thank you for sharing this with us.

Beautifully written. 🫶

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

Thank you, per LEY. I love the idea of surrender being underlying meaning here. And yes, maybe just dissolving in that almost is where softness lies.

Thank you for such a heartwarming and lovely reading 🫶

Meg Floss's avatar

Another stunning poem. “and every heartbeat

becomes another quiet invitation to remain”…

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

Thank you, Meg ❤️

WritingWithWater's avatar

this is a beautiful poem and love letter ......

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

Thank you 😊

MoTy's avatar

Love can no longer be denied once it brings you to your knees. I rather like reading you enamoured M. x

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

Thank you, MoTy! x

Petra's avatar

Surrender rather than ownership. Beautiful! So is eternity as an almost endless yearning. And this priceless line: “and become the prayer even a priest would envy.” <3

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

Maybe it is, Petra. Thank you for seeing my favourite line! <3

From Tender Ground's avatar

I long to be on both sides of this … to feel enough to write it and to be enough to be written about 🧡

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

thank you, and I can feel that 💝

Dorie Snow/雪多丽's avatar

Beautiful Mark. Gorgeous poem! You can feel the emotion in every line. Your new style is wonderful, less careful and hesitant, almost vulnerable. Well done.

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

thank you, Dorie! 💙 💙 💙

Georgina de Glanville's avatar

Mark, this was a bit of a shock to read after your usual style! A completely different side to your writing, but it is simply beautiful. So intimate and tender. I really loved it. 🌹

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

Thank you! I’ve been working a while now on different ideas, with many that don’t work, so I’m really pleased this one did. It is definitely more intimate than usual “mark”. 💙

Georgina de Glanville's avatar

I like both styles 🌹

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

Thank you! I won’t be completely switching - the older mark keeps sneaking in 😂

Georgina de Glanville's avatar

You can have two personalities! 😂 are you Gemini by any chance? 🌹

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

why stick at two! 😂 😂 😂

Georgina de Glanville's avatar

😂😂😂

Jay's avatar

Really beautiful and I think this new format works really well. The pace is exceptional and I think represents a step forward in poetry in general.

Mark Crutchfield's avatar

Wow. Thank you, Jay. Humbled by such a lovely comment! 🫶