NAFTA

I have wondered on life's purpose 

through blinding sun in bad weather

Thought upon gods great mysteries

me, myself, yes we, together

 

Hope and Love have took turns in life

each led me up every hill

Hope gave me the strength to live

Love kept me warm in winters chill

 

I am fortunate as a man

to have come to this place so far

To weather life's uncounted storms

and sail through with nary a scar

 

Sometimes I think we try to fix

what we as men think is broken

Only to find that in the end

the true needs will go unspoken

 

It matters not to me the end

nor to what ailment I succumb

Just shine a star to guide my life

help those in need to not grow numb

 

We say that what doesn't kill you

will strengthen both you and your clan

I think I'd rather be naive

than to aspire to a tougher man

 

Hopelessness "Imported from Detroit."

Why do we think we can solve the worlds problems?

We need to solve our own.

Author's Note

We should all open our eyes to the truths of life. Just a thought Americans make up about 1/23rd of the worlds population. So we are 1 out of 23 people in the planet. Yet we have 1/5th in other words 1out of five people in jail around the world are jailed here. We incarcerate 5 times more people than any other industrialized nation. It should not be a crime to be poor. Though it is our shame as a nation.

Reviews

[Magdelena]

Oh Tate, now come on! This was marvelous.. The words, music, darn man! There wasn't a thing I didin't love about this piece.. By far you are the one thing that makes me feel your words like liquid velvet that runs across my thoughts. You, my dear, dear, friend, are a natural born writer. it is in your very essence, in your blood!

Hugs,
Maggie xx

[Arabdha]

just one word..fantastic !! love and hope are the two things that make us walk through every disappointment but still look forward to life..loved it!!

The picture made me think this was going in another direction ... the juxtaposition of the happy white family on an outing against what appears to me to be a long line to a soup kitchen or factory by those for whom work and toil yields little reward. Each man has his own take on life's truth.

[SPINNING ON that dizzy ..]

Like this - made me feel like I should smoke a pipe and tap my chin with my forefinger and look as wise as it made me feel! To get through like with nary a scar.... sometimes we don't see the scar until later because we took the lump..... Hmmmm wise points to ponder....

[LadyNaida]

This is deep. This is so true, "I think I'd rather be naive

than to aspire to a tougher man". Some people rather risk everything instead if just walking away with what they have. It takes a strong man to do that.

[Art Sun]

the truths of life...one must surely find his path and therein lies the question(s) Tate...we are born into a world of confusing realities and yet when we find the truth within our Soul(s)...we see without barriers...without prejudice...without that smoke screen of an existing life...society can be a harsh emotion...we tend to see it only within this country but it is a world wide situation...

nice work my poetic friend...

[Katie L]

great job

[Dizzy]

An interesting piece. I think the last two lines are the best. In my opinion though, its hard choose.

[George Love]

Nice work, and great words to live by. What kills us not, doth work to make us stronger still.

[Anata]

We say that what doesn't kill you
will strengthen both you and your clan
I think I'd rather be naive
than to aspire to a tougher man

Wonderful .... really really wonderful :) have no other words to describe this ^^

[Richard Williams]

Wondering on life's purpose, drawing strength from hope, warming oneself on the fireplace of love, indeed to count your blessing as it were. As always you speak with a sincerity that arrives in a clear and elegant style of artistic verse, framed in philosophic texture. If you are relatively unscathed by the storms then you are a fortunate man, but I take all the scars and let the naiveness feel every rough edge of the tougher man.