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.

[Katrina Mckeown]

Totally! :) another great poem Tate!

[Bhavya Kaushik]

Ah! That was very refreshing and beautifully penned!

[Alicia Schroeder]

This was beautifully written peice.. :)

[WeekendWriter]

Ah.... so we are alike!

Beautiful...

[Donald Cole]

I like the depth of your thinking in this as well as in the majority of your writing. It is good to relate the truths known to our worlds, through our poetry. It is like therapy for me. And an excellent way of expression of self.....
Don

[Sugar Plum ♥]

I like the classical structure, perfect rhymes and wisdome, the phylosophical points in your poems! thank you!

[Amber Elaine Marshall]

I love it! In life we all have trials and tribulations and we struggle and strive to make it through and pull ourselves out of the quicksand of life refusing to be swalloed alive by the darkness and without the struggles we go through we wouldnt have that fight to survive and succeed

[Mark]

"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"

What a masterfully deep thought, Tate. I applaud you. This is one of your finest. You even employed a little punctuation, and I know what a stressor that is for you! The minuscule bits that might improve it hardly even merit mentioning...as few are as obsessive about such considerations as I, anyway! Going into my Library.

[Becky C Strukamp]

Words have never been spoken so true as these. You penned them well. It's as if you have were writing my thoughts I thought only lodged within my own mind! Excellent1

[WhiteWillow]

True, we grow and learn from our mistakes. Forgiving ourselves, allowing ourselves to move forward, is a great accomplishment, as well.