Paper Cuts and Hindsight

round and round and round it goes

Hindsight like a paper cut

can cause excessive pain.

It keeps you wakeful late at night

by feeding on your brain.

It nags away and gnaws on thought,

that dog it's found a bone

and when at last you think it's gone

it rings back like a phone.

You'd give your all to shake it off

as you count endless sheep.

Enough to make a grown man scream

and many more to weep.

A word I know I'd like to see

wiped clean from every dictionary,

I'd sink it in the mighty sea

to stop its chain of pain.

Reviews

[emmajoy]

There's nothing as sore that i can think of - at this minute anyway. Can be a near invisible misdemeanour screaming 'BEWARE' from its pale shadow! The lack of hindsight is indeed a sharp elbow in the ribs, the pain of eating a solid ice.cream, a beautiful dream interrupted at the wrong, wrong time. ' .. its chain of pain' indeed. You phrase so melodically, juggle words and bring them to a stop with a lesson learned.. as near as, Chris.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Em. You have just reminded me what a painful experience brain freeze can be when you indulge too quickly on ice-cream. Hope all is good with you. I think the English are quite happy today, following footie results last night. Have a peaceful and lovely day.

[emmajoy]

Oh yessss to your latter comment!!! Brother Jack, his girlfriend and three friends over with CHinese food and their own drinks to sit quietly screaming and drumming hoodlum feet as the Other team showed their ignorance. It wasn't a brilliant game by any means, but a great result. The final is now very much a game waiting to be played. And yes, i enjoy football.. and rugby and F1 motor racing and field athletics and tennis .. and.. and..

You too have a peaceful and lovely day, please very much. :)

[Chris Shaw]

I will Em. I will be checking out tennis and rowing at Henley. Easy to do from the comfort of a chair:))

[emmajoy]

Pity we don't live nearer!!! Happy smiles, luv. x

[Chris Shaw]

:)) x .........

[Neville]

Sadly, hindsight, foresight and even insight can be like the Sword of Damocles' .. much depends on the way it is wielded ........ if mishandled or handled badly, it can sting like hell though ..... a well poemed concept Chris.

Neville

[Chris Shaw]

There are many things which prevent peace of mind. You response here Neville is full of wisdom. Many thanks for giving this old write an airing.

Chris

[Lyn Anderson]

The enemy of peace of mind is thinking of anything but today. But we humans are unable not to look back or forward --- we insist on beating ourselves up over the past or worrying about a future that is yet to happen. Nice insightful write.

[sette]

hindsight will always be important it helps us realize many things

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you sette for your response. Much appreciated.

Chris

[KCthelastboyscout]

Remarkable how the human mind works or does "hindsight" come from the soul.Looking back means you're not looking forward.there are more obstacles ahead you have to avoid

[Chris Shaw]

That's very true, if you are caught in the past, you aren't moving forward. Thank you KC

[Davidgeo]

That's why I always do drugs to sleep at night... hindsight is 20/20 and I've been very far from perfect.

I'm pretty sure everyone who reads this will identify with it. Well done Chris.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you David. I think you are right, most people will be able to identify with this at some stage of their life. Appreciate your review.

Chris

[Great Aunt Astri]

Hindsight holds all our regrets, and can be quite merciless!! You write so well, and graphically, how persistent it can be. Perhaps the best way to 'sink it in the mighty sea' would be to say something like, 'OK, silly, silly me, go for a dip, and then 'forgive (yourself) and forget'!' I I have made many a mistake and taken many a wrong turn. And a lot of them still need sinking! Thank you for sharing.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Astri. Yep, next time I get a bout of this, I will chant you are forgiven, you are forgiven, and see if that works lol. Anything for some sleep once that cycle starts.

[Great Aunt Astri]

Yes, either say that or, alternatively you could just say 'get lost' to the 'cycle' when it starts!

[Coyote Poetry]

I do and I understand the poem dear Chris.
"I'd sink it in the mighty sea
to stop its chain of pain."
Somethings and memories are hard to remove. I guess we must learn to live with them. A powerful and worthwhile poem.
Coyote

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Coyote for your words.

Chris

[Coyote Poetry]

Was my pleasure Chris and you are welcome.

[Phill Oz O'fee]

Ah yes …if only we could foresee the consequences of our actions before we actually took them! But alas, this can never be … so lick the wounds, ask forgiveness and (at least) learn from our mistakes! Great write; really gets the reader thinking … bless … :-)

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you. It's always at night when you get these thoughts, when you are desperate for sleep. Yes, maybe asking forgiveness, will have the desired effect.

Chris

[Stella Armour]

round and round it does go, especially night.... maybe if you get a little worry doll you can give the hindsight problem to the doll?

I do like the comparison to a paper- cut , they are so sharp and sting like mad... ouch !

[Chris Shaw]

Those paper cuts, sting like hell don't they Stella? I always get stuff regurgitating in my mind when I am trying to settle down and sleep. Never heard of a worry doll. What do you do, stick pins in it? lol

[Stella Armour]

haha... no i have 2 dream catchers i bought from a young lady locally, and when she sent me the owl one she also sent men a little worry doll. To be honest if something upsetting is really bothering me at night i write it down... i used to do this in the past to get rid of anxieties, write it down... what is the worst that can happen? What are my options ?. I have fallen down before, and eventually that lovely freedom washed over me... i know it will find me again so now i will go to sleep knowing that this worry will pass, if not straight away then soon and i will be stronger for it.
phew.. that was a lot, but that is how i have survived mentally :)

[Stella Armour]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worry_doll

[Chris Shaw]

Getting creative, turning it into a poem. That could be one solution

[Stella Armour]

could be , but please no more angst... i get so fed up of reading angst lol. Hope yes , but no more "poor me" or i shall run and hide ( or scream) haha

[Chris Shaw]

Very old poems.Reflecting very old emotions. I am going through my archives. There are some funny ones as well:))

[Stella Armour]

i threw loads of my first poems out ages ago, there were sheets and sheets of A4 paper crammed in everywhere lol... rubbish writing when i went back to it ;never mind i built on it. I like light hearted poems... there are never enough of them on here :))