To be or not to be ? the question's put
in hamlet and in town, by gown or jeans,
by promise which seemed once so full of beans -
'til walking shadow gutters lamp turned soot.
Life's slings and arrows slay both those on foot
and those whose mounted pride soon falls, what paens
outlast fate's payday voiding ways and means,
both rich and poor soon trampled underfoot.
Set to heart's tune Time rhymes with infinite,
and yet what bud, once blown, may Lethe's night
turn into cheerful dawn ? In pawn our souls
grasp straws too soon foreclosed as pauper, knight
descend from scope to end, ambition's blight.
no traveller returns to stoke life's coals...
Can purblind moth reeled onwards to bright wick,
in fretful riot weave round warning flame,
of its will still frenetic dance to pick
hair point dividing failure from fame.
Where "heart to heart though far apart" would lick
the ice cream cone affection offers, tame
turns wild when "absence fonder heart" draws, lame
familiarity breeds ... fiddlestick !,
counters good intents in heaven's name
to pave the road to hell's dark tocsin tick.
Winged inspiration sheds both fear and shame,
rings true through recognition trust not trick
must spin lens' wheels which stitch life's photo frame.
Attraction linking on a higher plane
removes the need for questions', answers', rei[g]n.
We strut upon Life’s page, whatever claim
each stakes is soon revoked as Time, untrue
to first impressions, modifies life’s game,
tints contact lenses we think we see through.
Observe vain beauty’s triumph on youth’s stage
feel force turn age, through rage lose sage control, -
One sees how Faust to Satan could engage
essentials of an ‘everlasting soul’.
Today, tomorrow, past and future, merge
within time's haze as days from daze advance,
now dart, now part, now urge, now purge, now surge,
in tango of contango spurred by 'Chance'.
If candle represents both Life and Time,
Man’s Fate is fall preceded by vain climb.
One wonders if attraction offers clues
to questions, answers, - existential lure, -
both waiting in gestation to refuse,
accept, delay, pay, play as sinecure.
Is fantasy what we affection name
as love which hand in glove with need sounds sweet,
attenuates life’s jungle’s ruthless game,
and tints the lover’s glasses lest we cheat
Death’s threats through disillusion premature.
Destiny's spun thread sped Time must cut
for reasons which to mortals seem obscure,
which fit in puzzle pattern's piecemeal rut
to knit tomorrows which mature too fast
as all at last acknowledge naught can last.
Author notes
robi3_0248_robi3_0000 SXX_DZX
In a list
- Alphabetical Order • next in list
- My Favorite AP Poets • next in list
- Gold and Silver Trophies • next in list
- Philosophy of and or for Life • next in list
- Time and Cause & Effect • next in list
- Personal Favorites • next in list
A contest entry
- Out, Out Brief candle! Life is but a walking shadow... by princess hope.
650 points, ended February 3, 2008, 7 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 9 of 9
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wow. You totally deserved the gold trophy for this poem! I enjoyed it very much! My ADD made it hard to read such a long poem without getting distracted
but once i got to the end, I saw how great it was!
spreading love,
miley -
i for one am not usually fond of "rhyming" poems but i do enjoy this one a lot. *snaps
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Simply,
Lovely. Loved every word, every expression, every line of this poem. Not what I was looking for, But what I found to stick out . Again, Lovely choice of words
Amazing!.
Best of luck, and Thank you, for entering.
Princess hope
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Good job on this one ...
I still admire your writing, although I have a niggling doubt about "in hamlet and in town, by gown or jeans," which seems all too simplistic compared to the rest of this.
All in all, though, you've done quite well.
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You know ...
if you'd replaced the small "h" with a capital "H", it would make this work much better.
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Outstanding
I liked the reference to Marlowe in the third stanza. This is a thoughtful poem that manages to combine something of Shakespeares language with the modern world. I especially liked the line:
and yet what bud, once blown, may Lethe's night
turn into cheerful dawn ?
This is philosphical and soul searching - a poem that speaks out with your distinctive style and great flow. Best of luck in the contest.
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"We strut upon Life’s page, whatever claim
each stakes is soon revoked as Time, untrue
to first impressions, modifies life’s game,
tints contact lenses we think we see through."
So true and if are contact lenses are dirty or the wrong prescription, it would surely be an atrosity....can be blinded by the light and darkness at time...You have rung true and what we all have thought about at some time or another on this journey, we call, "life"....no truer words have sung as yours rings true to the soul...You astound me and profound me as usual with your thoughts and pen to paper....Best of luck!
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"Where 'heart to heart though far apart' would lick
the ice cream cone affection offers, tame
turns wild when 'absence fonder heart' draws, lame
familiarity breeds ... fiddlestick !"
Yes. Yes, my dear Friend. I remain astounded at your incredible turn of phrase, your lithe quill that dances across cyberspace, enchanting eyes which now can see since your light hath shone upon the path of peril & passion. Bravo, Scribe. 
Wanda
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A Humble Sharing ...
of truth in thought ... senses full imbued and waiting for release! "Attraction linking on a higher plane
removes the need for questions', answers', rei[g]n."
Loved how you worked this in and also your grand use of poetic devices. A good entry for this contest as well as a poem to be read often as a reminder ...
Nicely shared and thank you ...joy
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