The Unknown Before Us

The speaker walks through life aware of its mysteries, realizing that no matter how much we think we know, there is always more beyond our grasp.

A long road is sprawled
Up front, I emerge suddenly
and walk along.
Rain and hot wind hit me
Every year
I bear tenderly
and walk along

I don't know half
What's around me
Why or how I started
existing or
When I came on this
long road
But still
I walk along

If I'm mystified by miracles
And can't explain magic
But I believe in these things
And can't oppose their reality
There's still more I could know
Which I do not

If I claim I know all
And that no one created me
But I exist in an already made world
Along with the plants and animals
With their beauty and orderliness
Perfection and relevance
There still more I should know
Which I have not.

© Godwin Isiwu

Author's Note

Author's mock paraphrase: The world is more mysterious than anyone of us can ever imagine, and neither of us know half the mysteries surrounding it. There are so many things here before us which we don’t know for sure how they came about. The writer of the poem believes he is naïve and has a lot more to know about the world.

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

Life has often been likened to a road along which we walk. The speaker admits to his ignorance of the destination, which is proper. Anyone who believes he knows the whole truth of this place is delusional.