Our Mistakes

We come to terms with our mistakes

to strive, to try, then fail, to win

Seeing what bitter food it makes

tasting the tempting fruits of sin

 

Looking back along the past

succeeding through our strain

Makes us value life at last

with its unending strife and pain

 

Who once failed, find triumph sweet

where once stumbled, cry beware

To the other unaccustomed feet

victory comes to those who dare

 

Are we but images made of God

his work in labored progress

Made from the dust and the sod

our one sheer moment of happiness

 

What strife encumbers, the soul awakes

learning the errors, of our troubled route

Through sorrows, of our sad mistakes

come truths, we could not live without

 

Author's Note

We face them every day, and sleep with them every night. Our character is defined by how we deal with our mistakes! For those of us who learn best the hard way this is both bittersweet and true

Reviews

[Allan Eddings]

As always a lovely piece that is both thought provoking, honest, and simply beautiful. Truly I am most envious! While reading this piece with its lovely - and when speaking of your writing characteristic - lyrical nature that seems to beg one to sing it; I was moved to think of the oldest complete piece of music we have found, the Seikilos epitaph. The lyrics when translated from the original Greek read approximately (this is my own translation, so please be cautious, ha!):

While you live, shine, don't suffer anything at all; life exists only a short while and time demands its toll.

The music that accompanies it is quite beautiful I would recommend seeking it out. Back to point. I could not help but feel repeated here the theme of pain, pleasure, suffering and joy which seems to be an eternal question and inspiration to men and women throughout time. It gave me a lovely sense of belonging.

My own ramblings aside, bravo as always, and again thank you.
A.E.

[N!LoC]

yes... it is so much easier to learn from mistakes ... sometimes that is the only way to learn them... how unfortunate.. lol

[Tate Morgan]

How true and so human

[Latifa]

victory comes to those who dare
lovely words and great message

[Tate Morgan]

thank you latifa

[WILDERNESS]

Brilliant and beautiful ......................... what a treat to have your poems............the philosophy, the wordings, everything.............

[Tate Morgan]

I can't remember a review that humbled me more thank you!

[WILDERNESS]

My pleasure

[David Lewis Paget]

Some people actually learn from the mistakes of others, Tate. They're the lucky ones. An astrologer will tell you that a lot depends on whether the Sun rises before or after Mercury, the mind. If the sun rises first, it illuminates the way ahead, if Mercury rises before the Sun, it heads into darkness, and must learn from its own mistakes. The Anglo-Saxons related life to the flight of a sparrow through a hall, a brief foray into the light, then out at the other end. Interesting concept.

[LadyNaida]

This is beautiful! Very true, we can learn from our mistakes or continue to go thru a never ending cycle.

[Frieda P]

They say you can always tell someone's character by how they they deal in a crisis...this says it in a lovely and poignant way. Nice read.

[ms. barrie]

this is a very profound, eloquently written poem. i agree, this is very honest indeed. this is a very enlightening, and releatable.


Looking back along the past
succeeding through our strain
Makes us value life at last
with its unending strife and pain

Who once failed, find triumph sweet
where once stumbled, cry beware
To the other unaccustomed feet
victory comes to those who dare

wonderfully penned, excellent write!

[Tate Morgan]

Barrie so nice to hear from you .We have another new poet here that shows great promise a little girl of 19 named katie lynn you might like http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/Sassyfrass17/1085164/

[ms. barrie]

i'll be sure to check their writings out, in a while since i'm trying to catch up with my lack of reviews right now. thanks for the heads up :) --- good to hear from you as well, take care!

[Tate Morgan]

thanks dear if you have anything you want me to see send it email to me

[ms. barrie]

will do, thank you, Tate :)

[Mic]

Most true again, my friend. Is sad so many never learn this lesson, though.

Very well done.

[Marie]

Yes, this is very true...We eat emptiness and find it so unsatisfactory that we eat more...all the while not tasting the nourishment right in front of us...

[JB Murray]

Good piece. I almost think you could delete the first 4 stanzas and let that last one stand on it's own... lol.