cafe | a poem
- Bair Klos
- Oct 1
- 2 min read
CAFE
I gather threads in a room without wind
which is normal
for I am inertia without orbit
ice clusters in the hollows of my veins
must motivation show her alluring face when only I am witnessed?
ʻaʻole hiki mai ka paipai, ke noho wale au; ke hōʻike ʻia au, laila, hele mai ʻo ka mana, I say
how I loathe immobility, it’s likeness of ceding
like a prophecy’s dawning
that warns: to remain still is to perish
in a world with so much possibility
my dear, you must flee
seek the hum of others and step into their current—witness and be witnessed.
I had to write this piece for a summer creative writing class focused on poetry, playwriting, and creative non-fiction. The assignment was to write a poem modeled after one of Robert Frost's works, mimicking the tone and structure of one of his poems. For the life of me, I cannot remember what the poem was, but if ever I remember, I will come back and update this blog post.
While this poem carries a specific personal truth for me, I’d rather not define it here. Meaning in poetry—like many art forms—is not fixed. Art is actively alive, fluid, and shaped by its viewer. I find it far more compelling to hear what meaning someone draws from a piece of art than to anchor it solely in the artist’s original intent. What captivates me most is the ripple effect: what inspired the work—and what the work, in turn, inspires in others. Because some truths prefer to remain in shadow and be shaped more by feeling than by clarity. So I invite you to read it through your own lens—if it stirs, reflects, or reveals something in you, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
“Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.” —Robert Frost.
—Bair✍︎
Where epic fantasy meets philosophical ponderings of the self.
Want to stay up to-date and get exclusive updates and insights on future projects, book launches, writer and reader resources, FREE literature, writing freebies, and a more? Sign up for my Newsletter!
Find more helpful writing tips on the rest of my blog.
SUBSCRIBE to the blog on my personal website, Substack, or Medium.
Struggling to get your word count in? Check out my writing podcast!
Need a new notebook? Check out my hand-bound books!
Check out My Writer & Reader Merch Store
Like this post?
Share the link on your social media or
pin the image below to your Pinterest board!
This poem made me think about how it is impossible that anyone will ever know anyone 100%. It is even impossible to know ourselves 100%. However through witnessing and being witnessed I have been able to know myself better. Very evocative!