So Many Aprils

Unseasonably seasonable, April stirs

memories of better-forgotten days,

long ago temptations left to perish

in the wake of settlements.  

 

In the sentimental harbor, so many ships

of doomed youth, noble galleons

anchored for want of a courageous captain,

the urge to look back becomes the cruelest lash.

 

The harsh wind: regrets rush,

rakes the mind, wrenching names

from the black tar of oblivion,

demands an accounting for all the whys.

 

Though the answers you now hold,

know to be meaningless, came too late

to alter the trajectory of choices

you chose so many Aprils before.    

Ken e Bujold

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i like that..."unseasonably seasonable"---
so are we that courageous captain? do we need to be that assertive, or will we just go along for the ride?
Really nice work here, Ken.
j.

[willweb]

If only we could have those Aprils back again though, I am not sure if anything different would happen if they did allow another chance. There is always May. :) Nice one Ken.

[Chris Shaw]

A fine pen here my friend. Choices, we all have them but we don’t always make the wisest of them, particularly in our youth. Regrets, I’ve had a few too. Great metaphors used here. All the best.

Chris

[Perdition]

A little sandpaper and torch spray and that tattoo will slip right off..lol AND. I did know what you meant and congrats young voice among pages!! In this the gladiator has his day and so we all in our seasons make comparisons, and metaphors but ultimately and completely we know what the hell we did and wouldn't change a damn thing. "the black tar of oblivion" ...now that one doesn't scare me but the "answers you know hold"...Phew. Heavy burden in that last redemption~

[Ken e Bujold]

oblivion has its perks. I go there quite often. as for last redemption ... i agree, i wouldn't change anything, or much. there are a few predicaments i could have gotten myself into but didn't, due to indifference at the moment, or press of time ... but now i look back and think, that could have been so much fun. otherwise, life is what life is, and mine has to date been one messy adventure

[Perdition]

Congratulations!!..lol. The only way to fly...smiles and good luck with those pages!

[Kelly Scheppers]

Lost loves and harsh winds will always stir the heart with regret. Your writing prowess takes the wheel and never lets go, making this a most engaging read from start to finish.

[Betty Hermelee]

I had to read this a few times, but what I perceive is that some people get stuck in the past and cannot move on for whatever reason....even though those memories of the past should be let go. The urge to look back on a lost love must be put to bed, and new relationships formed....the answers to your questions came too late....If you stay in the past you have few choices.
I like your metaphors... don't look for a captain, steer the boat yourself!
Best, B

[Lisasview]

Hi Ken,
Definitely one of my most favorites of yours.
The tone feels different?
I really liked it.
Isn’t it interesting how certain months bring about memories to many.
I enjoyed your use of metaphors… they were perfect!
One needs to move forward and only take what has helped them grow from their past, into the future.
Life is really too short to live in the past.
I feel your poem is much more than what is on the surface.
So I am going back to read it again, for the third time.
Wonderful,
Lisa, now in Spain

[W. Barrett Munn]

I know people like this, perpetually stuck in reverse and trying to relive yesterdays like a merry-go-round, always surprised they end up in the same place, going nowhere.

Winston

[Coyote Poetry]

Here in Michigan Ken. April can be fiddle.
"The harsh wind: regrets rush,
rakes the mind, wrenching names
from the black tar of oblivion,
demands an accounting for all the whys."
I liked the above lines. Good description of the month of April. Thank you for sharing the excellent poetry.
Coyote

[AYVID N]

April has always been a month of disasters for me. Coming in its wake and with ships as such a powerful metaphor for doomed youth with its vigour and exuberance, this poem on feelings of regret makes great impact.

[Ken e Bujold]

Yes D, like Eliot so aptly penned, April is the cruelest month.
hope all is well

[AYVID N]

All fine here Ken. Thanks. It was good to read you today.