Wow. I had to read this piece a few times and each time, I grasped something more. The incredible thought this piece has blew me away. The title was well-crafted in itself, after this man accuses you of being at a different level/stage, it is you who has stayed....but time passes miserably.

Still not sure I understood more than half of it, there was personal emotion I felt here building up- but I liked that concept of running to, not away, as if you just are you, and you've been here all along tired.

The most powerful part was when you said you were not going to mislead your steps any more, for fear of being a new record with broken pride. That was tragic, heart wrenching. As if we can't move forward at times, can't find the will, because what will we become?

A lot of unspoken fear here, worth another read and insight.
Definitely a nomination.
This really stays with me.
God bless!
~MaryAnne

"You aren't on the same stage",
he said, thinking of me with
advanced maturity.
Sadly I announced standing
at the same level that I've
always been standing next to.
^^
Opening sentence was just the right thing to say ..

A runner, as I was born
who runs away still
from, not "to".
Tired of misleading my own steps
for the fear of being nothing
but a new broken record
with broken pride.
^^
I fully relate to those lines, exactly what I felt ..
still from, not "to". (OMG !! loved it)
Its we who decided how our lives go, which path to cross, we mislead ourselves ..
(PS -- My fav verse )

I've been here for almost forever
though the walls around me do
change eventually, but no new paintings
nor new masks can fool my guessing.
Tired, to the core of my heart-I am.
^^
Life goes by, but you still stand where you are .. Poeple change, things change, but nothing changes where you stand ..

If only you can turn my sorrow into
treasures of gold, and my tears into
wholesome crystals, and hunted jewels
I'd own the world around me with a blink
of an eye.
^^
IF ONLY .. The wishes we makes, just one person, someone who completes us, someone who makes a ifference ..

As always my dear, 5/5 .. LOVED it to the core ..

Nana, my sistah :)

I know exactly what you were talking about here, and it is so wonderful how you could manage your thoughts into perfect images, I was interested when I beheld the title and I felt melancholic as I read the beginning, and couldn't help but cry in the end. The true sad emotions are not just clear and easily flown... but also straight from your heart and not forced at all. I love your wording, Nana, such a creative masterpiece :) and the most beautiful part is the deep (a little mysterious - but in a good way of course) meaning behind your words, I could see lots of things in this poem, and get inspired, ente shaffafe just as this write :) and look, I won't hide, there are many things which I didn't totally understood-- but hey you've been used to read that, ha? check your PMs ;)

"You aren't on the same stage",
he said, thinking of me with
advanced maturity.

^^^
hey, why adding the comma up there?
I do love how you began it with what he thinks of you, and how you disagree with that, that's just so touching.

Sadly I announced standing
at the same level that I've
always been standing next to.
^^
I guess you need a comma after "Sadly", right? :)

A runner, as I was born
who runs away still
from, not "to".
^^
you run FROM not TO omg that is so so profound and heartbreaking. you are afraid of something and have no goal, am I right or drunk? lol.

Tired of misleading my own steps
^^
sometimes, we take wrong steps and we make wrong decisions, but, in the end of the day, I believe that every lesson is worth the suffering, and you have to experience the bad things, to value the good things, hmm it seems that I began to hallucinate...

for the fear of being nothing
but a new broken record
with broken pride.

^^
I LOVE LOVE LOOOOOOVE this part
though I disagree with you, totally.
don't fear anything, I make endless number of mistakes, and you are almost the only person who knows that very well, lol, well, don't ya!? :P yeah, but seriously, I can feel lots of sadness in this part, especially, when you said "broken pride" it really hit home for me, because something I deeply can relate to, I have broken my pride many times for worthless people, but I am stronger now! :)

I've been here for almost forever
^^
I love it when you insert "almost...at times" I don't why, it is just that I love it :)
you have to teach me how to put those...hmmm.

though the walls around me do
change eventually,
but no new paintings
nor new masks can fool my guessing.
Tired, to the core of my heart-I am.
^^
I could not understand this part, you don't change? you take the same fall everytime? everyone learns from their mistakes but you don't? I didn't really get it...PM me.

If only you can turn my sorrow into
treasures of gold,
^^
hmmm "treasures of gold"? I wouldn't choose "gold" here, maybe replace it with something else, but it is just my thought hon :)

and my tears into
wholesome crystals, and hunted jewels
^^
A
B
S
O
L
U
T
E
L
Y
GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hunted jewels....just took my breath away...:) great Nana!

I'd own the world around me with a blink
of an eye
^^
yeah, love can do that :)
a great ending, you are one of a kind, and someone sooo talented :) keep writing and amazing us with your wonderful sad pieces! five and five and FIVE.

Rolling in the deep was the inspiration here eh?? :D

Nope a convo with a friend :P

Hmmm, ya a5ti in all honesty mafi 7al to such poetry, abb sha3ar badni w ana 3am be2ra, its beyond magnificent wala, way too deep.

So this is what you did with my semi-challenge :D I love it! The first stanza seemed a bit off from the rest of the piece. It read more as a story while the rest of the poem got more into the poetry side.

"Tired of misleading my own steps
for the fear of being nothing
but a new broken record
with broken pride."

I love, love this. I read this part over and over and feel it really 'made' the poem for me. :)

I like the use of wholesome crystals and hunted jewels, I thought it sounded really interesting, and love the description of them. Unique! Love your ending as well. Awesome job! :D