I chose my featured image because I believe it shows the beauty and happiness one that can be found from the smaller/simpler things in life, such as reading a book. 

 

Sehn·sucht

Noun

A German word that can be translated to yearning, nostalgia, or longing. Psychologists use it to represent thoughts and feelings that are unfinished or imperfect,  paired with the yearning for ideal alternative experiences. (Wikipedia) 

 

My inspiration for the following poem arose when I came across the word: Sehnsucht (combined with reading the play, Death of a Salesman.)  To be honest, I am a bit unsure where I found such a beautiful noun that encapsulates me so perfectly, but I have a feeling I saw it on Pinterest. I am constantly in this place of “Sehsucht” wishing for a time before this confusing madness. This quarantine has allowed me to stop and examine all aspects of my life, leaving me to realize what areas of my wellbeing needed a bit more love. Before this current outbreak, I found myself only living for school. I wasn’t eating, wasn’t sleeping, and I wasn’t that happy either. I wasn’t truly living because I didn’t find that healthy balance between school and life. 

 I then grasped the idea that I’m not the only person living this way. So many people are working in jobs they despise hoping to get rich, but for what? The majority of people don’t even become rich. People are just working in jobs they hate till they die, waiting for success but never achieving it. Wasting their lives and then it’s too late. I’m not saying, “Don’t work hard” or that “you’ll never make it.” I’m not shaming you if your purpose in life is to achieve wealth, fame or success. I just wish that our present world would just gain more happiness in the simpler acts of life. That we don’t have to depend on the idea that you might be happy in the future, only if you work hard today.  I just wish that people would start romanticizing their own existence. That people strive towards happiness, whatever it means for them.  

 

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sehnsucht

a word that can describe everything,

a word that can describe the endless thoughts inside my mind:

constantly yearning,

constantly needing,

a simpler time.

 

a time without uncertainty,

without sickness,

without crime, 

everyone’s living a lie – 

turning a blind eye,

 

only seeing what they want –

the end goal,

the main purpose, 

successes, fame, wealth-

never happiness;

we’re all delirious,

sleepless,

full of loneliness.

 

living to succeed,

never succeeding to live.

 

communication 

through technology,

full of misinformation,

turning a blind eye.

 

people are suffering,

starving,

crying.

 

everyone’s turning a blind eye = 

only seeing what they want:

the end goal,

the big lie. 

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A bit of an explanation to some lines/stanzas that might cause confusion:

“ everyone’s living a lie – turning a blind eye” (10-11)

I was referencing how several people believe that they can only gain contentment through achieving prosperity when in reality there are so many other ways. Almost as though they’re lying to themselves by saying money would make them happy while turning a blind eye to the truth. 

“we’re all delirious” (17)

According to google delirious is “an acutely disturbed place of mind resulting from illness or intoxication”. Although I wasn’t directly referring to actual medical inebriation, I was thinking more of money being a drug itself, it changes people and in some cases, ruins them. 

“full of misinformation – turning a blind eye” (24-25)

I was referring to how social media isn’t always correct and through the internet, we’re turning our backs towards our real problems, or that we might be turning a blind eye towards what’s true on the other side of the line.  We can just turn off our phones and try to forget what’s happening on the other side of the globe while the people who are suffering don’t have the option to. 

 

Sources:

Quote: https://weheartit.com/entry/337778086?context_set=162410809-quotes&context_type=collection

Featured Image: https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/AcFoIXyyM1Z6NHN1tPHGl1gqsfZtz2F3Eug0ASl9FBdvcj-m-DoyWG7ff6x2o3fMP2SqkscO_Oq5Gr7lh0hVasY/

Definition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sehnsucht