Neither Nor

Life's first breath is
startled and strong,
filled with false hope
and peacock promises .


Sly is the source that greedily
sucks each breath back yet
forces another and another, until
life's pollution becomes
the sludge coursing
through thin veins.


This jaded air sits heavily,
a torture of crushing stones where
peace is a fallacy, a tromp d'oeil state
filled with the dead and fools,
and I lament that I am neither.

Reviews

[R. L. Ives]

From life's first breath to lamenting being neither dead or a fool, and the drudgery in between, this thing we call living. Think I would rather be dead than a fool but there's times when life feels like a fools game in which one can't win for losing.

[icelandicblue]

Thanks RL, I couldn't agree more. I appreciate your cleverly worded comment. It's not much of a choice is it?

[R. L. Ives]

Very welcome. Nope, not much at all, but I guess life

[R. L. Ives]

Very welcome. Nope, not much at all, but I guess life is a lot what one makes it.

[Pete Langley]

A strong poem, this. There is no succour for the faint hearted here - you live with the taint of the world as it is, but with maybe a hint of hope for a better place. P.

[icelandicblue]

Thanks so much Pete. We can only hope, yes?

[Frieda P]

Peacock promises, whoa, You had me right there. I don't know why I was reading overbearing figures in this read, perhaps parents....maybe that's just where my head is. Stirring emotions in this read, love the last verse!

'peace is a fallacy, a tromp d'oeil state
filled with the dead and fools'

Quite a view from there, much enjoyed this one.

[icelandicblue]

A view from the bottom I believe Frieda- the only way to go is up, I hope.

[Jack...]

Wow, this was cool. I like the time line in this, the story it creates and the thoughts it provokes.

[icelandicblue]

Hi Jack,

I'm happy that you found this thought provoking. Thank you so much for commenting.