Sink or Swim

The reader decides the deeper meaning of this poem, however, it was written shortly after reading several pieces by Paul Verlaine as you may see some intertextual links in this poem.

Mark that in life you either sink or swim.

Maskers delicate and dim,

Lead you to the abyss of the ocean involuntarily.

You suffer, oh, you suffer cruelly!

 

There is no mental journey or thought,

As you swim harshly, this is how you do, not ought.

Cup the hands and embrace the problems,

Water and forgiving is the emblem.

 

They have an air of knowing all is vain,

Forget them and focus on the rain.

Mount the log and let not humanity break,

It’s the peak of the wave and your life at stake.

 

Glide and mount the powerful element,

Discard the superfluous and eliminate the regiment.

You are but surfing the wave,

Fighting your enemies off, you are a maniac but brave.

 

If you choose not to swim and sink,

It’s the water of earth you will drink.

Golden warm September sky,

Oh you thought you could try,

Perhaps imply that not swimming was sly?

You are accompanied by no thing,

If you had swam you would of have some thing.

Author's Note

Feel free to share your thoughts on what you think this piece represents, and anything else of course :)

Reviews

[Dayran]

A nice note of panache that accompanies the poem. Certainly a message of great need in a man in these times ... more so in the society we live. Its a remarkable statement of the will of a man that strives even when all else is lean ... we still have our wit. hi Vic ... nice to meet ya'.

[Coyote Poetry]

Many ways to look at the term "Sink or swim." My Grandfather liked the term. He told us if you don't try to swim. You will drown where you are standing. Big business used it too. Keep up or you will forgotten. I enjoyed your thoughts on these words. These three words can lead to great discussion where there is no true answer except test the water and swim forward. Too late for a man who accepted sinking. Thank you for sharing the outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[m.s.early]

I once heard that there is no nobility in a drowning man saving himself... I beg to offer that there might be at least a bit of character. Or maybe that it was a burning man extinguishing himself has no nobility. The lack of surrender or the urge to move, to survive, in either case still proves that a man is not broken unless he concedes to be. Mount the log you desperate fool! Get up and brave the wave! Let tomorrow decide whether or not it was all for naught!