Paul Moore

Paul Moore is 21 years old and was raised in Portland, Oregon, where he started writing poetry in high school.  He likes to read
poetry that is both imagistic and cryptic, like that of Anne Carson and Gabriel Garcia Marquez – two of his biggest influences.
Paul currently lives in Washington DC, and is working at a coffee shop while he figures out what he wants to do next with his life.  
More of his poetry, along with his photography and paintings can be found at: http://www.freewebs.com/paulrmoore/

What Are Your Dreams?


I dream that someday I will know everything
so I can forget it.
I dream that someday I will become extremely wealthy
so I can give all the money away.
I dream that someday I will become the most powerful person on earth
so I can choose not to use that power.
I dream that someday I will be offered Nirvana
so I can refuse it.
I dream that someday I will gain a reputation for confidence and charisma
so I can destroy it.
I dream that someday I will write a book
so I can burn it.
I dream that someday I will become a prophet
so I can say "don't listen to me."
I dream that someday I will get everything I want
just to realize that it wasn't what I wanted at all.
And once I realize that,
I dream that I will pick up my leather hat and backpack
and start walking.
I will walk for a long time.
I will walk until my delusions
my beliefs
my ego
cannot keep up with me
and they will have to stop to rest.
But I will keep on going.

I will walk until I know what love is,
until I know who I am,
until I can experience a scene of beauty
and allow myself to become engulfed in it.
I will walk until civilization
turns and swirls out of existence,
until the earth dissolves into the universe
and there is nothing left anywhere
except for this silly vagabond
and the vision of love.