Into the Light

When I was a great deal younger than today, and first embarked on a life devoted to poetry, I made a decision to write a one verse poem every ten years, starting at the age of 21. This was to reflect the way I felt at the time, in relation to my life, and to my writing.  The following is the verse written for the age of seventy-one, and below that the complete verses that built up to this point. The collection is called…

Into the Light

VI

Here I am, seventy-one
They say that only the good die young,

I’ve made the most of my current plight

To find dark corners, to sit and write,

The Chinese taught me their own folk lore

And Poe his raven, above the door,

So now I’ve written a thousand tales

Of shifting time and of dragon’s scales

While things I thought that would bring undone

Before the age of seventy-one

Have left me sat in my garret webs

To pen the last, to the final dregs,

I know where to head, the time is right,

     Out of the darkness

          Into the light.

 

David Lewis Paget

 

23 November 2015

 

                      - I -

 

• Here I am, twenty-one,

  So many things have to be done,

  Many’s the cause I’ll be fighting for

  Keeping the vows that I’ve sworn before,

  How many children blessing my way,

  How much love can a lover sway,

  How many words can I write and read

  In the years ahead for my restless need,

  Where am I headed, this fateful night…

               Out of the darkness

                    Into the light!

   

                       - II -

   

  Here I am, thirty-one,

  So many things still to be done;

  Where are the causes? Fought and lost!

  What of the vows? Tempest tossed!

  Where are the children? Left behind!

  What of the lovers? Love is blind!

  How many words have you written and read?

  Much too much for this aching head.

  Where are you headed, this fateful night?

               Out of the darkness

                     Into the light!

   

                      - III -

   

  Here I am, forty-one,

  And all life seems like a dream undone.

  Everything I would have taken for me

  Has slipped from my grasp, forsaken me.

  All my children are grown, but one

  And wonder; ‘Where did this man come from?

  What was the pact that he kept with me…’

  While I have nothing to answer thee.

  All my words as a mist, widespread

  Have since dispersed from a source long dead.

  Where am I headed, this fateful night?

             (Have you learned nothing….?)

                  I guess you’re right!

   

                     - IV -

   

  Here I am, fifty-one,

  The daylight fades and the muse has gone.

  The loves I loved as my vision bled

  All turned from me, and to them, I’m dead.

  The rhyme was lost and the music died

  As I turned to stone in my heart, inside.

  Where is the youth that yearned to write

  Through the endless days to the latest night?

  Is this what happens, the years take flight �"

               Into the darkness

                   Out of the light.

   

                    - V -

   

  Here I am, sixty-one,

  I thought the end would have come and gone!

  But then a light seemed to beckon me

  To trip through another’s history.

  When China called, I know not why

  I saw new future’s I’d never tried,

  The way was clear, my life was spent

  So I fetched up in the Orient.

  With all its bustle, its pomp, and pride,

  I picked up the pen that I’d put aside,

  For black-haired girls feed my heart’s content

  And children like jewels are heaven sent;

  Is this the future, I know it’s right....

            Out of the darkness

                  Into the light!

   

  David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Junction]

It is interesting how we change over the years. I am older myself. I am working on my bucket list.
The reality of life slipping by with each passing year. We don't live forever like we thought at 21.
It makes it so much more precious. Forgiving and love is the answer I found. When the time comes
I want to go with love in my heart.

[abderrahmane dakir]

I like it so much, reading this awesome piece. Life is really short trip.

[BlaqkShadow]

Amazing, just amazing, this is a life captured in words and it is so beautiful, so heart felt, so well done. You should be immensely proud of this work it is fantastic, I am glad that your life turned back towards the light and I hope you can see now it has not been in vain. Thank you for this marvelous piece of work X

[Weeping willow]

Truly beautifully expressed,love the flow and it's content.Wonderfully put together, a story of life;-]

[Anastasia Cummins]

Amazing... I really enjoyed reading this. You have a tantalizing way with words.

[NinjaShadowWolf]

This is such an incredible idea! Also, the fact that you were able to stick with it for all that time. I'd be to lazy to do that. I like the line " They say only the good die young." Isn't that a song? Nonetheless. I loved it and it's brilliant.

[Em Hay-Char]

Love the poem DLP, and at 64 we have a few things in common. Like you, Asia has been a transforming experience for me. Great to see the honesty and the changes through time.
I'll be back to read some more
Thanks

[Richard Levias]

well the structure and consistency of this poem is very well done, and most people can't really make a rhyming structure flow smoothly and for such a long time, great work.

[Barbz]

This is what you are, this is what you've been. Your pen never ran out of ink, but perhaps for a minute, and it spilled a treasure of poetry through all these years that captures us with thrilling moments and compelling twists, laced at times with an actual chuckle. Long live this talent, Master! You speak of times in the life of your characters that could perhaps put a damper on your thought processes, but you are greater than that. We all recognize your talent, but "We" are a small group. Your ultimate recognition looms like that "light that beckons"you. Barbz