Wisdom of a wasted life

Sometime is hard to see beyond our own life.

             Wisdom of a wasted life.

When we are born.
Even the poorest of people have opportunities.

Outcasts and poor folks seem to work harder.
They appreciate every small or large victory.
They grasp books and reach for knowledge.

I have always hated lazy people.
They beg and cry for having nothing.
Their hands always reaching out for money and handouts.

I have known people who lived off the life of other people.
One day no-one is left.
They can't function enough to buy themselves a meal.

Who is to blame?
I believe someone should of kick their a*s like my father did to me.
Told me make money and get a education.
Only respect for a Ojibwa/Mexican is education and money.

Today my mind isn't no good.
Body is beaten from raising too much hell.
I loss my memory from drinking.
The 120 shots I received in the Army took from my body and mind.
I don't blame no-one.

No-one forced the beer and wine down my throat.
I join the Army twice to wander off to War.
I could of learn from Hemingway and Mark Twain.
War is s**t.
No-one wins in the end.

World was never real pretty.
Then I saw  my baby girl being born.
I quit walking the edge and quit drinking.
I had a purpose to be alive.

I wasted 37 years looking for one reason to be alive.


Now today I know the world is simple.
Nothing good in a life comes easy.
Hard work make a man wise and at peace.
We need to appreciate every new day.

We need to be thankful for days with family.
Be thankful for the kind people in our life.
Be thankful for good health.

Give what we can to the poor and helpless.
Karma is a fair judge.
Love isn't forever.
Friendship is.

In the end.
We must look into the mirror.
We must like the person looking back.

In the end.
We need to think before we speak.
Nothing good to say. Say nothing.


  Coyote

Author's Note

I hear young people speak of death like it will bring peace. Life is a million mile journey. What may be around the next turn? Maybe a sweet dream ready to come alive or a good friend waiting.
Coyote

Reviews

[olla]

Some people grow up and others just grow old… my Mother always said every one grows up sooner or later.. it just takes some longer than others.. with my grandsons.. I tell them I want them to survive the experience.. you have survived the experience and gained wisdom.. I can’t feel that the time it took is wasted when the goal is achieved.. I still battle my inner child.. willful and stubborn little piece of baggage that she is..

[Coyote Poetry]

I agree my friend. Each of us learn in our own time. I was lucky. Mexican/Ojibwa father made me mean and hard early. He lived when a Native American had no rights. Thank you for reading and the comment.

[Sabriel09]

Everything once again is true!!!! Keep writing you are really good at poetry!!! You should publish a book with all your poems in it!!!

[Ross Saunders]

This was excellent.

[Princy]

Powerful! Its like a slap on the faces of the lame people who want everything for free. Its also like a dawn of realization for everyone.

[Obscure Meaning]

Thanks for such a great write :) Im young myself and really helped to see life from a new perspective from one who has experienced so much already! I especially like the 'we must like the person looking back'. With all the teenage pressures modern life can bring, this often becomes something that more teens are perhaps losing. When things start to go bad, reflection is always best and we can find the strength to carry on.

Again thanks ;)

Obscureness out

[emmajoy]

Life's the longest journey we'll ever take, and from start to finish shows us that it 'aint easy!

You describe the hard life you had, you chose - the wars, the drink .. but others would say that you've lived a real life, experienced what is it to feel both real fear and real contentment. And you;re right, Coyote, you never know what's around the corner ..

Living well among people, treating everyone the same, sharing .. doing unto others as you would have them do unto you can lead to so much joy .. trouble is not everyone sees it that way! Perhaps we could throw a stone in a river and watch the love and kindness ripple on and on and on and on .. and on .. how about it?!

You're like a walking guide book, not saying do this or that' but your experiences, your poem - your wonderful words ,once again describe reality with absolute honesty

A wonderful poem

[MissWordSmith]

This is so inspirational. Thank you for sharing it. It is truly beautiful. You speak words of wisdom.

[alison13]

this is such an inspirational poem. it's full of lessons that can really be useful in life.

Karma is a fair judge.
Love isn't forever.
Friendship is.


those are my favorite lines.. short but very true.


i like this poem. great job!

[Theresa]

Absolutely loved this. I honestly was nodding my head in agreement from beginning to end. You have such great insight and I always love to read what it is that you have to say. I like you can not stand those that look for handouts and even worse think the world owes them everything. I have been working full time since I was sixteen and I really get disgusted at those that do everything they can to live off others. I love how you speak of your daughter, beautiful and gives this piece even more depth. I also love how you ended it: Nothing good to say say nothing.
Perfect ending to an amazing piece. Nicely done.

[beautiful disaster]

I look at people my age who have not lived life to the extent of our elders, whom in turn get disrespected because they are "old". I dont see how we can look upon those who have lived to be "elderly" and treat them as though they are nothing. We think that today we have nothing in this world if we dont have the newest gadget or the best clothing when if it wasnt for those who worked their a*s off in factories during the Industrial Revolution we would be no where near where we are today. Life is lessons in the making and out youth needs a reality check. Live life with every drop of oxygen and power you have. Some get bad circumstances and diseases but those are the people who are suffering, not the ones making millions off what people call music i.e. Lady Gaga, Beyonce, etc. Not like Springsteen, Rolling Stones, etc who actually pour hard work and soul into their creativity. I like the poem and I believe my soul was not meant for my age or my generation.

[Simpleasures]

I just love the life lessons in your writes...the conversational tone...I feel like a student sitting in a classroom learning. You remind me of a friend from Chicago, who has the same style of writing. Raw, open and honest. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.