the lifeguard quit

the lifeguard quit

 

strive

strove

saw

dove

 

headfirst

into a sand bar

after too many bourbons

shed shyness

 

dove

saw

strove

strive

 

drive 

me insane

through the rain

of you

 

in the cell

of a hell

bounty paid

heart scattered

 

long gone lover

saw

strove

drove

 

away

one more bourbon

headfirst

back into shyness

 

fractured hearts

can't swim

don't dive

don't strive.

 

 

erin-cilberto

6/17/23

Reviews

[Betty Hermelee]

Two many strikes against him…loses shyness, bold, then shyness again…needs another bourbon….to get his courage going again, but it looks doubtful…..do I or do I not….such great metaphors here j. You just have that great knack!
Best
B.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Betty...
courage, yes.

[Betty Hermelee]

You're very welcome J.
Best, B

[John the Baptist]

Once burned, twice shy. Maybe the lifeguard needs one more bourbon to get his nerve up. If that won't go up, other things won't either.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thanks, John.

[Chris Shaw]

The lifeguard has saved many. Can he save himself? That is the big question here. Standing still leads nowhere. Great poem J.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I don't know, Chris...it ain't looking good...but he is still dog paddling like crazy.
j.

[Chris Shaw]

I bet he’s great at it:)

[Chris]

Did he? really?

How many slaps does it take to make a man?
How much do we face before we reach again?
and again?
Our "whys" seldom change,
our nows always remain.
And the night shares our pain
'cross the world - where it always echoes ...again.

We do want - THAT doesn't go away
and yet as we dwell in our yesterdays
tomorrows are borne
each today.

Quit? If only...
but
then who would whisper
in their dark
anymore ...or evermore?

Chris

PS Jacob, you ARE one of the rarest men I know... you care AND still reach.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Thank you for those very kind words, Chris.
j.

[willweb]

It is often a scary experience to enter the deep end but sometimes it is worth it whether there is someone there to save you or not. Nice one Jacob

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, will, appreciate your kind words,
j.

[FGFRANKLIN]

The message here is clear. Don't drink and dive. Because if you drink like a fish you can't swim like one. And if you hit hard rock as you're paddling through life just yell out this warning, DAM! And try to swim around.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

insightful, my friend...thanks,
j.

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

He needs to save himself first

He’s put others first way too long saving the world maybe

Very deep poem can be interpreted any way we like. I’m probably right off the mark

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Never off the mark, Julie....poems belong to the reader...and you see whatever picture it paints for you.
j.