There's No Other Way

Life is grand, and so are its environments of Past and Future. Would the face of nature be so serene and beautiful if man's destiny were not equally so? - Thoreau

seeking alpha in the faded allure of chance

feet moving to the eternal, twirling faith of a reassuring dance

in a seemingly cruel, unprecedented juxtaposition of time

dissipated with the rich gravy and gentrified status of sorrow

a fledgling flotilla of the past sailed into the specter of tomorrow

arbitraged against today

a far-off, clairvoyant  topography assuredly knowing that everything will be okay

the quixotic pageantry of the present pinky-sworn to silence

emphasizing the beauty of destiny in the loving arms of godly reliance

dimensions and distance prone to passive violence

tears running upwards

muted years, dead ends, breakdown lanes and roundabouts with little or nothing to say

bending with the centripetal force of yet another starched day 

bearing in panoptic soul and constringent mind that

there's no other way

Author's Note

"What sort of philosophers are we, who know absolutely nothing of the origin and destiny of cats?" - Thoreau

Reviews

[Betty Hermelee]

This a amazing Pete, very philosophical and well written and i believe it speaks to the destiny of all of us, and nature.... I use the word fate, but I may be mistaken.... our lives keep moving until our fate smacks us in the face.... and when we age we tend to look back upon our lives and we learn that we can accept our destiny whatever that may be..... I had to read this 6 times to understand the meaning of this well written deeply thoughtful poem
Best, B

[Pete]

wow. i'm impressed. you really did your homework on this! you've gleaned more than i could ever have expected from a reader and it is well appreciated. i so appreciate your deep, shared thoughts. thank you ... :)

[Betty Hermelee]

You're very welcome Pete; you're writing is amazing.. and so interesting to dissect....
Best, B

[willweb]

Man you have been on a poetic talent flinging whirlwind of late. Each piece i have written today has my mind thinking...what if? Too good man.

[Pete]

sometimes i get in this mode where i can't stop. it's like a flood - it just keeps coming. other times i'll go quite a while with nothing like a drought ... :)

[willweb]

Actually I meant to say...each piece I have read today, sheesh.

[Kelly Scheppers]

You speak like a scholar, Pete, an intellectual connoisseur of the written word. I am your standard bookworm, you leave in awe, every time!

[Pete]

wow, thanks kell. there's an old proverb that, "those who can't do, teach" ... :)

[Lisasview]

Well, isn't that what it is all about dear Pete... Our destiny...as you say there is no other way.
I have now read your words 3 or is it 4 times and each time I take with me a bit more of what you are saying...
Your choice of words here are rather grand and one must sit down to really read this.
I suspect there is more to what you have written and I feel there is
much hidden behind your words.
As we age we look back at our past ...more and more..
and, hopefully to our future.
Lisa, in Spain..thinking

[Pete]

there is much hidden behind time and destiny that seldom is embraced or talked about. a garment can become unraveled by a single, hanging thread whilst the longest journeys begin with a single step. so many questions - how, why, when and what-ifs. what good does it really do us to ask such things? a drowning person clutches a life preserver and asks not any questions in the moment (who tossed it to me and why?) the wise take time to examine and and ponder within ... :)

[Lisasview]

I so agree with what you say... I really enjoy your analogy...