there’s power in walking away from something
and there’s grace in doing it the right way…
for so long I’ve known no such combination,
no such marriage of force and elegance,
power and grace…
both strength and a light touch,
autonomy and surrender — together…
I’ve known alienation
I’ve witnessed some very reckless devastation
I’ve abandoned and been abandoned…
but to put an end to something
in a positive way
is something new for me, and something good
not all quitting is done by quitters,
just as not all living is done by those who are alive
…meet me at the corner,
meet me down the road,
meet me where the line ends — find the moment
where dominion meets frailty…
and watch how the conversation moves!
find in me what is free
and I will embrace the spirit of your will
Garbage Notes:
This one’s about the tension between choosing to walk away from something and knowing that it’s inevitable that you’ll have to walk away from it. There are things in life where it’s possible to stick around for too long.
You can stick with something when that something is actually hurting you and will probably end on its own anyway—whether it’s a job or a friendship or a relationship or a particular habit. Knowing when to surrender is an important aspect of self-awareness.
I like the lines that refer to power and grace. This is all about balance. If we can find a way to exert our power but do so in a way that is both sensitive and respectful of those around us, then we can do just about anything.
There’s reference to various life struggles—feelings of alienation, abandonment, etc. Life can be full of misery and frustration, but it all contributes to the refinement of our spirit.
The other line I really like is this one: “find the moment where dominion meets frailty”. Again, it marries these two extremes—the urge to dominate while still being necessarily vulnerable. It makes me think of the dinosaurs. They reigned over the earth, and yet they still were powerless against an asteroid. We can all be undone.
And lastly, the title is a reference to Bono, the lead singer of U2, and his autobiography Surrender. I came across the following quote in it:
“I know if I can stay inside the songs, they will sing me and this night will not be work but play.”
So it got me thinking about surrendering to the act, to the moment, letting the creative work lead you and not the other way around. I think many musicians can probably understand this, but it holds true for writers, painters, poets, and any other creative person as well.
Franco Amati 2023
Absolutely beautiful, and completely on point. It is helping me too because, after 12 years, I finally chose to leave my partner, gracefully. It was well past time to do so. Thank you for making the recovery much easier. <3
Nice one Franco