The Past

 

The Past is not here

It never existed

so why do we remember?

something that never existed

The Present is now

We are living here today

This is what we shall remember

Tomorrow is not promise today

The Future is not here yet

so why should we care?

Life isn't fair

It's just too much to bear

Reviews

[Gandré]

This one I like very much. This is what I think of past, too. recall of events and facts which enables us to recognize things as our own is useless, for past doesn't exist. one might accurately describe some part of one’s past after hypnosis. Thus the recall of specific episodes attempts to characterize the connection which persists between experience and recall. a memory trace works like if we would enjoy to remember just the pleasant things and even those unpleasant things we remember as pleasant... the re-tracing of original memories by later experience might be unpleasant or even traumatic soIt is striking that in Chinese and Indian philosophy, there are no entries under memory, remembering, reminiscence or recall, I liked how you are philosophically dealing with this, mirroring an Eastern thought in this poem. I didn't understand Sheila's comment "We have freedom of speech, but we also should have dignity, and respect for others." -----perhaps you should ask her. I mean where here is a disrespect of others when you have chosen for you this kind of reality? I think, it is easily to fall into narrow-mindness, when people stick in their own beliefs. To see the the others one needs the eye of eagle. That's exactly what we are doing with our writing. We won't go so far that having a different philosophical approach is not respecting others. this would be ridiculous. This is a nonlinear thought, this "not knowing a past", actually, and in my opinion, I fear, Sheila doesn't grasp. For who knows - doesn't need to believe! That one knows, who experiences. The others - have to believe. The individuum is chosing what exists. Not the society, not the religious group. What you don't know, doesn't exist.

[Nicole (Carpe Diem)]

very nicely written... i believe the past makes us stronger - ready for what is ahead tomorrow

[Gheeneil]

The past shapes the present in same way the present will shape the future. Without the past and the future, our presence would be of no value at present. It might lie dormant with time.

People do ponder about same thing at times. I do.

[Stephanie]

Life. What a complicated, beautiful, terrible, topsy turvy topic. I enjoyed this a lot. Reminds me of a quote I read somewhere:

"Yesterday is history,
Tomorrow is a mystery,
Today is a gift.
That's why they call it the present."

I know I do my best to live each day to the fullest. And yes, it can be too much to bear, but as long as we have the will && confidence to push through, we'll be fine. Great poem.

[Voice]

As I always say yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today? Today is a gift that's why we call it the present. Great write...

Voice

[bluessadmood]

i completely stand with my friend Shiela ,our past is our lives ,our pains our joys ,we could never forget..
for from our past we run through our present to plan for our future..how i loved the comment by my dear friend O!..
she always amaze me with her funny remarks..
Take from the past what helps....but work from what u have now....and tomorrow....look forward to it! What say u?! :-),so said O!
i also agree with you as you are looking at it from a philosophical point of view ,and will never disagree with my friend Gandre..
and how could i ,but i am sure she has certain thoughts of her own ,who can dispute with her,ha ha..
still i stand with my friend Shiela and understand really well what she means,yes my past is a huge part of me..
i could never forget it,and from there i will go ..
i hope every one here is satisfied ha ha,i dont think there is any contradiction between all,its just could be read,
differently through each eye..
lovely write as usual,so thoughtful,ha ha ,but the past is still so present and affects us all..
lovely write..

[O!]

True that the past isnt here...but im sure it did exist! :-P...or else ill hafta kick me in the rear! haha...

I like the message...i believe in living the moment...so am all for this poem!....

Take from the past what helps....but work from what u have now....and tomorrow....look forward to it! What say u?! :-)

x,
O!

[Adeline]

this is a good poem but I have to admit it depressed me a little. I think the past is there to remind us of good times we had, even if it isn't all good times. And the future is there for us to dream of all the possibilities of things to come. :D

[Anna]

I like this clever little tangle of thought! nicely done!

[Sheila Kline]

If the past never existed, then I must ask why is it a "word"...words are indicative of that which is something...so??
Okay moving on.....so to me the past "did" exist in the form of that which is gone. So, therefore we do remember the past as the past is real. And, somewhere between the past and the future is now...the present...i.e...past........present........future.
Do you wish to argue such? You live for today only....what a cavalier attitude! Then you shall reap what you sow...if that is your belief, so be it.
I do have some choice in my own path by the decisions I make today...the now....the present. For me to say that I do not care about tomorrow is irresponsible. Do you wish to cause hard feelings with your opinions? We have freedom of speech, but we also should have dignity, and respect for others.
I am somewhere between the past and the future..which is the present of the here and now. I do not stand corrected.
Sheila