May 18th, 1978
?:?? p.m. 
poetry by Michael F. Nyiri
"The Great Battle Twixt Mind and Heart Rages On" 20th Cathy poem
first movement
My mind tells me I should stop this
I'm travelling a washed -out road
And I'll be lucky if my tires hold out
For a few minutes more
My heart urges me not to stop,
Saying. Keep your engine running
And your gears engaged,
Because someone's built a bridge
to your destination
At the end of the road.
My mind tells me that destination is far off,
Unattainable, impossible to reach
It warns me that the more I go on
The more devastated I'll be at the end
My heart believes this is not true
My heart is very gullible
It never agrees with my mind
second movement
My mind tries to rationalize your position.
Analyzing
Computerizing
Why you do this
Why you say this
Why you did what you tell me
My mind is harsh with me,
Complaining,
Saying, "You've done your best, dammit.
Give up
Before it's too late"
My mind defines love --
"It's always there, in each person,
Waiting for the right one to come
Some people never meet their right one
So they settle for second best
As their hearts are aiming for the stars.
You think you've found your 'right one'
Well, think back
Wasn't Kathy the right one?
Wasn't Melissa?
Wasn't Terry?
Wasn't Emma??
"You held a torch for each. What good
did it do you. A lot of lonely
nights. A lot of empty beer cans.
You found out that each didn't
want you, and you cleared out.
"Now you're in too deep. Shouldn't
have told Cathy you love her. Now
you're committed. She'll judge every
thing you say by that word --
love, even though she doesn't
feel anything for you. She'll
want you to prove your love
for her, but she'll never care.
Stop this foolishness now. Admit
defeat. If you don't, you'll regret
it later. She won't mean to do it,
perhaps, but she'll hurt you badly."
I reply --
"But...."
My heart consoles me --
"Love is that always unattainable goal to
most people. They read about it in
novels and wonder what life would
be like if they were in love.
"The word is only a symbol for the
feeling. That all-encompassing feeling
-the "chemistry" between two
people. And love is only real if
it is felt mutually. And when
that occurs, nothing that happens
ever will deter that love.
"Love is built on understanding.
"Don't give up. If you are positive
you feel that chemistry, if you
can definitely believe you have
found the "right one" then the
only one you have to convince
is her.
"Once you let up, she'll wonder --
hey, that was an elaborate line
all along.
"So don't let up
Don't hurry
Don't worry
If the cosmic forces which
can unite lovers have been working
Your heart has only to wrestle
her mind
in order to get to her heart.
"Never let your mind take over
Never wonder,
hey -- why did she say that?
And after you ask, then try
to figure out if she's telling
the truth.
"Never put her down
And never build her up too far.
"Be sincere
Be honest
Be humble
Don't rush it --
Love takes time to grow
It doesn't spring out
fully grown in everybody else
As it does in you.
"Let her know you know that.
"Don't ask her to love you
If and whan love is there,
it'll make itself known.
You'll know
And so will she
"And the stars will shine a little
brighter for the both of you. "
third movement
My mind wants to speak again --
But I stop it and wonder
What will we all be like in ten years
And will I even care abut
the tricks
Life is always playing.
copyright 2001 Michael F. Nyiri
