Ancient Mirror

A Versenator Challenge #16

 

Ancient Mirror

 

The ancient mirror,

its edges ringed

with old wood molding,

paint decayed, cracked and peeling,

spiraled web hanging

from its crumpling edges

tells our past, future, present

if we let its power draw us in.

 

Gaze deep -- it knows

from whence you’ve traveled,

your careworn paths

overcome with weeds, discarded refuse

of days you thought forgot,

old friends and lovers

you dropped at hours of need

or left you cold

by barren roadsides,

not just the sunlit days

of happy careless youth

you thought had formed you.

 

It knows the paths ahead,

the tripwires in your road,

waiting to explode

the agonizing beauty

of your precious life,

how youth will flower,

wilt and melt to dust.

It knows your destinies,

every one and

every choice along your way

if you only stop to seek

the wisdom welled within.

 

You gaze, deep as you dare,

only hoping for the slightest sign

today’s beauty remains sublime

and not caring for the road ahead,

not wanting worse the one behind.

You live full of this day’s light

and give this mirror slight

which could tell you more, much more,

a spider’s web of sticky choices

that you pass in favor

of today’s favorite flavor

seeking splendor in the killing night.

 

David P. Eckert

Reviews

[T. L. O'Neal]

Great poem David, I see it as an analogy of a person's mind and thought. T

[Brett Campaigne]

do not follow your instincts, for they lead your analogy to paths thread so deep that they become rivers, which freeze in the middle of the park and are trecherous to acid-head lunatics who decide to take the most taxing paths on the whole across.

[Krystal Waters]

Your poem reminded me a music video, Verionica by Elvis Costello. The past, present and then future in the mirror. It's only a projection of who we are and what we have become, what we were and later in life, what will be. Well written and description beyond belief!!!


Krystal

[Gandré]

You made me very happy with this! I'm dedicating your this Music video ....it fits to your poem.
I loved your metaphors "You gaze, deep as you dare,
only hoping for the slightest sign
today�s beauty remains sublime
and not caring for the road ahead,
not wanting worse the one behind."

You have the full gamut of emotional extremes to think with and you play them like a master.

Leonardo da Vinci (Mozart's Requiem)

[Nihad Dweidary]

Wow, Scott! You really had a great design for this one, combining both parts of the challenge in one poem.

how youth will flower,
wilt and melt to dust.
It knows your destinies,
every one and
every choice along your way
if you only stop to seek
the wisdom welled within.

Isn't it amazing what our reflection might tell us about out live after a period of time passes. Profound stories lie in the trenches of old age.

a spider�s web of sticky choices
that you pass in favor

Incredible words here. I enjoyed reading this one more than I can possibly explain in a short review. Superb!

-Nihad