Enduring

A meditation on values

Most start out looking for something

Greater,

Many end up settling for the mere

Cessation of pain.

It is a long road from night to night,

And many are the voices which whisper,

All is vanity,

So that every star is obscured by cloud,

And all the sweet wine turned to vinegar.

Even so, let us light a candle as the

Darkness looms,

For to finish the race with faith intact

Is itself a reward,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

And more to be valued than diamonds.

Author's Note

The integrity of the spirit is inestimably more valuable than acquisitions.

Reviews

[lightsong]

How warming dear John :)

First, Kitty told me to send her (Hi) to You, and she said she will try the site, but I still miss WN and all whom are there, wish soon it will come back, I feel each there have a role, though many great writers have left, You, like always the clear inner voice, the one with the great message for a better world, and I hope You will find here too those who will appreciate Your humanistic message, You told me, " to write beautiful words is great, but to write words which help other is greater ".

Back to Your poem, I like Your new title, it gives the poem the message You told me about, many lost their way though the trails of life, many stuck in pain in routine... and each day became the same, each year sound the same, until life passes like a glimpse in our eyes, may be if we also stick to stuck in that little flame of faith, we might change the path... little faith over little faith... over... become a big one.

Thank You for being here, and wish You will like it too.

Always, Littlesong🌼

[John the Baptist]

Thanks, LS. I find myself going back to a few themes over and over. I hate to be repetitious, but some things can't be said enough.

I am still getting used to this site. I do hope more of the WN group will try it, at least as a stopgap until WN finally gets its act together.

[lightsong]

Don't worry about being repetitious, some people even when they know the thing, they need to hear it from another one, and as You said, some things too, can't be said enough, and need to be rememinded with.

[Patrick Ramsey]

Really, really good! Loved how each stanza was one line. Each a separate idea, yet connected. Loved the combination of 5 and 6.

[John the Baptist]

Thanks. I was rather pleased with 5 and 6 myself. Coming up with unique images can be difficult at times.

[Mustafa]

nice and touching poem,respect

[John the Baptist]

Thanks. The topic is one that is very important to me.

[Lorry]

We all find our own little distractions to occupy our mind in the quietness of night, but that is all they are, distractions. Maybe those long roads from night to night(love that line) would be a little easier if we had a little more faith in ourselves and those around us and we stuck to our values , instead of worrying about the now now now.
Can definitely see the meditative side of this excellent piece.

[John the Baptist]

Thanks for your review. Actually, night to night refers to the life cycle. We come from darkness and depart into it. As for the now, it's all we really have. The thing we must learn to do is to appreciate it. All of our worrying has to do with regrets for the past and apprehension for the future.

[Carol Cashes]

"For to finish the race with faith intact
Is itself a reward,"

Amen.

[John the Baptist]

Thanks. Many of us feel sorrow for goals not attained, but it should be remembered that many others who have achieved those same goals remain unhappy. In the end, we are all looking for the inner peace that we thought would come with outer achievements.

[Jeaunice Burnette]

The work was very thought-provoking. I particularly enjoyed the imagery you utilized in this piece: So that every star is obscured by cloud,/And all the sweet wine turned to vinegar & Even so, let us light a candle as the/ Darkness looms. It was all so vivid. I felt the ending was especially powerful, and I too agree that endurance in the face of adversity is worth more than riches. Bravo.

[John the Baptist]

Thanks for your kind words. The theme of the poem is something I think upon often.