What is life?
It is the flash of lightning
when the fathers are angry
It is the crash of thunder
when the mothers are scared
What is life?
It is the rainfall in summer
replenishing the streams
It is the snowfall in winter
converting the rivers to ice
What is life?
It is the spark of a rock
as it starts a fire
It is the flickering flame
that burns throughout the night
What is life?
It is the chilling wind
which howls in the winter
It is the warm breeze
that blows in the summer
What is life?
It is the tiniest insect
that causes so much pain
It is the biggest lion
that gives so much love
What is life?
It is the fraction of a second
that completes the hour
It is the housing of one soul
in a single body
What is life?
It is essential
It is wonderful
It is terrible
Author notes
It flowed straight out. I have next to no experience of Native American poetry, but I hope this fits the bill. It's such a wonderful question that will never truly be answered.
A contest entry
- From this "Native American" quote find inspiration by sanch011.
600 points, ended March 8, 2008, 9 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
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The refrain of What is Life, takes the reader through many lovely experiences where nature shows itself through sunlight, seasons, animals, insects and humans who determine impact on what contributes to their understanding of natures being.
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I liked this straightforward meditation which captures the tone and the spirit of the quote very well, though I somehow wanted it to read as questions, starting with Is it? All the best in the comp.
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thanks. i wanted to get across how life is a mixture of many different things as well as giving it mystery which is why i didn't do questions but i did consider it.
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a very philospohical write indeed, i think you've pretty much craked the puzzle of the meaning of life
best of luck in the contest sprouty, a wonderful write
amy
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