Cafe Lament

Self portrait

What was it made this place so great

in the days so long gone now

For me it was competition

that kept the sweat upon my brow

 

Some would like to make you believe

that a blazing competition

Is something you should all avoid

as if the fires were perdition

 

We do ourselves a disservice

claiming competition is greed

By leveling the playing field

why would we struggle, stress or bleed

 

Without the trying forge of pain

that angst and toil bring to our lives

There just is no reason to work

on all the wonders that it drives

 

Competition is what rules life

both in nature and creation

It is what made this country great

sowing seeds of our foundation

 

I for one think we are poorer

having lost the edge to excel

Whereby what we once called heaven

has become our personal hell

 

Don’t wonder where your friends have gone

it’s just they miss the old cafe

A refuge from life’s petty fights

where they could kindly spend their day

 

$12.50

$12.50

Author's Note

I once asked little Drake Cooper how his soccer team was doing."Terrible" He said."I go to Montisory for gifted students.laughs Yea he said the problem is we aren't allowed to say anything to the guys who won't play hard. For fear they will develop syndromes". Sad isn't it we cannot ask excellence of our children or demand it of ourselves for fear it might cause issues. The truth is excellence is hard work and those who are willing to undertake it reap its benefits. 1 part inspiration 99 parts perspiration. As a horseman competition was the lifeblood of my life. It is such a shame that we once were so engaged in the job of excellence that we actually kissed the moon. Nowadays we are content it would seem to leave our children to the mercy of the mean streets. Corporate America has no mercy for those who fall behind. Neither does nature. We were once the preeminent writing site. That because we demanded excellence from each other. I for one do not believe finishing 3rd is winning. We do our children a real disservice by awarding them trophies for participation. It is for those who struggle sweat and persevere to be honored for their accomplishments and write their name on the wall of human achievement. What will we do in the future? Will we continue to look back to the days when we went to the moon with no more than a slide rule? Or will we build on those accomplishments by sacrificing for the future generations in the hope they too will kindle the flame of human curiosity to slip the surly bonds of earth put out their hand and touch the face of God?

Reviews

[David Lewis Paget]

Never a truer word spoken, Tate. So very noticeable in schools these days that the competitive nature has been deliberately blunted so that under achievers won't feel a sense of failure. Unfortunately, as against that view, the world out there is a marketplace where everyone jostles for success and recognition, and if you're not prepared for it, then fail you will. They're doing our kids a disservice by neutralising their competitive spirit.

[Eddie Phillips]

There is nothing wrong with competition. Only through testing ourselves can we find out the things we don't know. People see competition as a bad thong because they like to be comfortable. To live a comfortable life is not a quality life. We have to challenge ourselves to be better everyday. You can only do that by moving out of the comfortable trappings of life. I enjoyed the poem Tate. It was honest and makes you think.

[Diane Lockard]

I read this earlier, but I am having some of those "in-between moments" where you are doing lots, but not going anywhere! I love the Writers Café and socializing with the members. I appreciate the feedback, two pairs of eyes are better than one.

There were a couple interesting happenings the past month in regard to competitions. Sent in a couple entries, deadline on one 7/9 and the other 7/12.... Both sites say reading and deliberating. I sent one a message, no answer... I usually check the sponsor, but for whatever reason, I was going on subject. They are both 15 years old, not that I have anything against that, but writers put their work out there and are waiting, waiting......

[Rick Puetter]

Hi Tate,

Well, you've opened a can of worms, here. Competition, is it good or bad? Competition always arises when resources are low. If we are all fat cats, and life is easy, why compete? No reason at all. But then we are fat cats we soon lose the ability to get up, run at top speed, jump the fence, run down into the gorge, catch the rabbit and avoid the lion. In other words, if things change, we've doomed ourselves. Such is the world we live in.

Now some have also mentioned sports (as you have) and how we glorify those that exceed. Others mention how undervalued other abilities are. Why doesn't the medical scientist that is trying to cure cancer get a salary that exceeds that of a football player. Why doesn't the nuclear scientist working to solve our energy problems rate a salary as high as a movie star? In my view this is simply because the general public doesn't understand what these people are doing. Indeed, these people are invisible to society at large. Who are they? Can anyone name some of them and explain what it is they are doing for society? The answer is no. But can the general public understand what a star quarterback does? Can they understand the beautiful voice of a popular singer? These are things that are easy to understand and value. No real knowledge is needed. No deep understanding of the problems that need to be solved is needed. This is not a criticism of people. It is just a fact. I am not knowledgeable outside my field of expertise. Who can be? Nonetheless, we have our priorities very wrong.

Now is competition a good thing? Yes, I think it is. Can competition be abused, can it emphasize the wrong things? Of course it can. We have tried the experiment of gradeless school courses. We have tried the experiment of passing everyone so as not to bring stress to our students and emphasize creativity and the values of the individual. But is this kindness? I think not. How does this prepare them for the real world? What happens to these students when they are out on the job market? I think this is a recipe for disaster and it seems this has been proven so. Just look at the success of the Asian culture. They are not into the values of the individual, but they are succeeding marvelously. Their culture is built on competition and it is thriving.

Even-handedness I think is the key. We do not want to damage with competition, but it needs to be there to make students strive. Without striving they will not be successful in the real world. We need to nurture, but we can't pamper and make the real world go away, and if we try to provide such an artificial environment to our young people that makes the real world go away, we are doing them a disservice and setting them up for a big, and perhaps psyche-destroying, fall.

That's my two cents, anyway. A most thought provoking piece, Tate. Thanks for sharing.

Best regards,

Rick

[Seashell]

I cannot stand any competition nor testing of any kind. I don't 'do' pressure of any sort. I never find the need to. I agree with every word from Coyote also.
I marvel at others vocabulary and the use of their gift of writing also the kindness of sharing. I enjoy the fun and laughter of friendship. I feel honoured at others asking me for an opinion and their kind words back to me.

What a brilliantly edited poem this is
Thank you for the share
I enjoyed the relaxation time to read it

Now back to reality... Dinner and time with my wonderful family :-) x

[Onyia-Ali, Kingsley Chu..]

Every competition is there to mar or un-mar any person. Depending on the one we choose. We write and compete for the betterment of ourselves. I appreciate you end rhyme.

[Paul Seaman]

The question is, is your competitor your enemy or a necessary peer. Very nice piece, easy to read which is important in my sense. Thank you for writing it !

[Thomas Fitzgerald]

A great piece, personally I prefer just to right for my own pleasure and to read others in comfort without the edge of competition.

[zainul]

Appreciate your golden rhymed piece and awesome self portrait.
Always knew as a great poet but never knew that you were a great painter too.
I adore fair and honest competition.
It teaches young people to dream and take risk for gains.
Personally,I avoid competition for my old age and some other reasons.
Thanks for sharing a beautiful poem,dear friend.

[L.Edward]

Indeed, a bit of competition is good for the body and soul. Can bring out the best in us. As they say it takes pressure to make diamonds. Unfortunately it dosent always bring out the best in every one: case by case. But I agree, healthy competition has brought about many positive developments.

[Tomi]

I think competition is good but there's a thin line between trying to be the best you can be and trying to be the best for the sole purpose of being better than another person. Competition fuels inspiration but it can be dangerous, take for example athletes taking banned substances and all.. Excellent poetry as always Tate!! hats off to you.