The Cynic

We are who we are.

THE CYNIC

The timeless traveler was a scrawny old man,

With a pipe blowing rings, and a wizard’s hat.

He sat on a bench, his skinny legs crossed -

A face like stone, and a heart of frost.

 

The little boy was young - just a mortal human,

With his eyes all red and swollen from tears.

A heavy heart within, and a brave face without,

He came and sat beside the man all feared.

 

The traveler looked o’er with a raised eyebrow.

“You seem sad,” remarked he in a drawling voice.

“I’m tired of life, and of this mean, cruel world,”

Cried the disheartened, lonely boy.

 

“Life is tiring, and the world is cruel -

The faster you learn it, the better,”

The old man said with a gleeful smirk,

And revealed an ancient letter.

 

“What on earth is that?” mused the puzzled boy,

As he watched the yellowed letter unfold.

“This,” replied the traveler with pride in his voice,

“Is the ancient knowledge of the wise and old.”

 

The boy was sceptical. He pouted and asked:

“What does your letter say about me?”

The old man smiled. “It says you’re just a boy -

Making mistakes, and learning to live.”

 

The boy blinked hard. The letter knows me?

Wondered he with a dawning joy.

“Does it say if I get to be happy?”

The boy asked with a hopeful voice.

 

The traveler scoffed. “Happiness! Ha!”

He shook his head with a resigned sigh.

“Happiness is an illusion, boy:

A cold trail we follow till we die.”

 

The boy’s eyes widened. “No…” he whispered.

“I have been happy in my life.”

The man shook his head. “You have not been happy;

You’ve just been less sad in your time.”

 

The boy refused to believe. “You are wrong.

We can be happy in all of our lives.”

The man raised both brows. “Boy, are you saying,

You truly believe in an afterlife?”

 

The boy shrugged. “Why should not we believe?

It gives us hope, and a reason to love.

After we’re gone, the remnants of our soul

Merges with that of the universe.”

 

The timeless traveler laughed out loud.

“You, naïve and young - inexperienced you!

The universe has far better tasks in hand,

Than care about what we mortals do.

 

“When we die, it is the end,

Of everything we ever thought or knew.

You see, boy, this giant universe

Is so much more than me or you.”

 

The boy blinked tears. “What about love?

Does your letter call it a waste of time?”

The traveler smiled. “Love is a mystery;

It is a sickness that affects our minds.

 

“It makes us think we are happy;

The euphoria is a dangerous drug.

Flawed and distrust and hatred,

Are a few other names for your love.”

 

The boy could hold his tears no longer.

“Is there any good in this world?”

The old man shrugged, and got to his feet.

“Ask that to someone you can trust.”

 

“But, whom to trust?!” the little boy asked.

“How would I know?” the man countered.

“I trust nobody, nor nobody trusts me,

And that’s the way it should always be.”

 

The boy watched the traveler walk away,

With dismay coloring his teary eyes.

When, suddenly, the old man stopped and turned,

His mouth set in a defiant line.

 

“Take this letter,” he told the boy,

And handed o’er the ancient page.

“It will help you when you feel

The world is a mean and cruel cage.”

 

When the traveler was gone, the boy unfolded the letter;

A smile touched his tear-stained face.

As he stared with awe at the thing in his hands:

A blank, unblemished, empty page.

*  *  *

 

Author's Note

These are the opinions of me and my best friend (guess, who's the cynic?). I thought this was a bit long, at first, but I simply couldn't trim it down. Hope you enjoy it. Suggestions would be most welcome.

Reviews

[David Scott]

Well, You had me with the first two lines... You grab the reader quickly here and I think this works well.
Honestly, you probably should give this poetry a little make over by working in a set meter and cleaning up a few spots of weak rhyme. This could read like a bards song and really have flow and energy pushing all the way through it and beyond. It is worth an hours work because it is very good.

In my life, my son is the cynic and I am the hopeful one, crying a tear for is heart and not my own: for I know where I am and where I will be... Yet he is in possession of youth and his page is mostly blank, with many lines to be yet written. This poem touched a cord because of this tie to my own world. Thank you for sharing your gift here.

[Sally Hope]

I really don't know how I skipped over this review. It makes me feel so, so humbled that you compared this to a Bards song (with flaws and weak rhymes :-) ), but that thought counts so much. Really, thank you. And it always makes me happy when anybody can relate to my work personally. I hope you can teach your son to be as hopeful as you, Sir.

[ChinAllen]

This is wonderful poetry! I really enjoyed the conversation and is topics. I don't think it was too long at all, it was perfect for this kind of poem. I couldn't help but read it in Sir Ian McKellen's voice. This was truly great, thank you!

[Sally Hope]

Thank you for taking the time to read it :) It means a lot.

[Insight "MH"]

The man shook his head. “You have not been happy;
You’ve just been less sad in your time.”

These two lines are epic, I love them so much, all in all, the poem is one of my best reads till date.

Thank you for sharing.

Insight.

[Sally Hope]

Thank you, Insight. It feels wonderful that you took the time to read this, and I'm glad that you liked it.

[Insight "MH"]

You are welcome.

[Peter Rogerson]

It's good to see that narrative poetry is still alive! And well done!

[Sally Hope]

Thank you so much for taking the time to read it. It means a lot.

[P.J. Amey]

That was a really great stand alone piece. That seems like a pretty boring review, but it was exactly how long it needed to be, exactly on topic as it needed to be, exactly how deep of a concept it needed to be and exactly how well written it should be. 10/10. Well done!

[Sally Hope]

Thanks for stopping by :) And that 10/10 really means a lot.

[Dana Ferguson]

This was such an interesting piece. You're amazing at writing stories! Thank you for sharing. :)

[Sally Hope]

Thanks so much, Dana, for the amazing review. It means a lot :)

[Autumn Lyric]

Excellent storytelling in poetic form...beautifully wrought out and I loved the ending very much because it gave the young man hope in search of what true happiness is and can certainly be found. Thank you for sharing this awesome piece!

[Sally Hope]

Thank you so much. I'm so glad that you liked it. Though I admit, it was a bit difficult to get the story flowing in time with the poetry and rhyme :)

[Autumn Lyric]

Challenging write, epic read... :)

[alifeacoustic]

Superb. A modern day fable that is better the second time read.
“Love is a mystery;
It is a sickness that affects our minds...I have always thought that love is a virus that we catch when too happy and miraculously cured of just as we learn to live with it. But that is just my opinion. :)
I like the cynicism of the old man and the freshness of the youth. Maybe their words will make the other think and meet in the middle. The blank page at the end was fantastic. It is his to write his own destiny upon. Love it.

[Sally Hope]

Thanks for stopping by. And your kind words will surely encourage me to write better pieces in the future.

[Johnny]

hhhmm I couldnt help think that the two characters involved looked like Gandalf and Frodo.. Now I enjoyed ever well constructed stanza until the very end.. the reason is because I dont quite understand the meaning of the last line.. now I blame that upon myself therefore I must say your poem was a very good quality piece! If you make more like these I will be spending more time than usual on this site! :)

[Sally Hope]

No knowledge of the wise and old can define us, for we are who we are. The blank page at the end implies that we write our own destinies. Hope I could make myself clear, this time :)

[Johnny]

wwwwoooooowww.. That is very allegorical!! I do believe I enjoy reading allegorical texts more often than others but its a shame really that I have such trouble understanding them.. Thank you for your explanation! Its beautiful

[Coyote Poetry]

The story is outstanding. Need to be read by many. A old fashion way of teaching and showing true wisdom. I like the conversation. Both old man and child learning at the same time. A perfect ending to the outstanding story. I did enjoy.
Coyote

[Sally Hope]

Thank you for stopping by. Your review means a lot.

[Coyote Poetry]

Was my pleasure to read and you are welcome.