Life

A friend remarked that no matter how hard she tries, she can’t win. That got me thinking about life, mortality, and the old saying, “Life sucks…and then you die. This is the result:

Life is just a Red Queen’s race

You run and run to stay in place.

 

The road is long, the surface rough.

Your very best?  It’s just enough.

 

Each day a struggle, each a war.

With not a clue of what’s in store

 

But that’s okay, and I don’t mind

‘Cause Death, he marks the finish line.

Author's Note

Just for fun.

Reviews

[Scott Kris]

The wise King Solomon concludes all is in vain… we only have how we ran the race and the sure hope of what is to come.

Thank you for sharing this nifty little rhyme.

Scott.

[Eka Asante]

Jay G Iliked your poem life!!It's true that everyboby stuggles & some people
have wars!!It's so true about life!!-Eka Asante

[Michael]

Succinct, relatable and pleasant to read. Best profile I have read to date btw.

[Maxwell Ryder]

A demarcation we are less aware of while living, so live well. Very philosophical.
👏 👏 👏

[Red Brick Keshner]

Running and staying in place! Awesome image that has figured in some of my writes as well. Nowadays we even voluntarily pay periodically to do just that a the gym. All toward that finish line. Good stuff.

[Lonicera]

Question i find this beautiful and realistic , I share in the philosophy that life is just a race to the end yet I found the reference to the red queen to stick out as Queen Elizabeth II had based so was curious if that line was referencing that as well?

[JayG]

It was written last November, well before that. I had just observed another of those pesky things we call birthdays, and got me thinking about mortality. The first line popped into my head, and the rest followed.

[Lonicera]

Ah okay still a very good read, nice to know the inspiration now.

[supernova_thoughts]

Do I believe death is the finish line? I'm not sure. But I would like to think like that anyways.

[JD Major]

Actually, this is not bad, for a pompous nincompoop.
Congrats.

[JayG]

A few years ago, Ben Bova gave my son some great advice, that applies here:

Don't show your work to relatives and friends. Show it to someone who dislikes you. If you can make them like it, you may have something worthy

[Crowley]

A great way to look at the challenges of life and how they are a damn sight better than the alternative, especially when recognizing just how lucky we are. fine work!

[Red Brick Keshner]

And there is the finish line! Good stuff. Thanks for sharing this quintessentially encompassing poem.