Serendipity Do

The lilac is scented at every house. - Thoreau

frayed hem of a once regal robe dragging

a cold ruler without scepter or crown

disempowered

a lion unable to roar

laying down its weapons

waving a thawed flag of surrender

winter conspicuously relents

fading to nothingness

a crescendo of time

passing a seasonal baton

a warm day of ceremonious recompense rides in 'pon the steed of a comforting breeze

a carried coronation

fragrance of royal, embellished lilac imbuing

sweet-scented, delicate, spilled perfume of the ages

drunken resuscitation

alive, wafting

reaching the nostrils of a young man's fancy

a canteen in a desert

a heart's oasis

as but a passing moment morphs into the unexpected serendipity of seeming eternity

Author's Note

"They were pleasant spring days, in which the winter of man's discontent was thawing as well as the earth, and the life that had lain torpid began to stretch itself." - Thoreau

Reviews

[E.P. Robles]

This is the other half of my analysis of your wonderful poetry.

Frayed hem of a once regal robe dragging, a cold ruler without scepter or crown, disempowered.


The opening image portrays a fallen kingdom, its once glorious past now diminished to insignificance in tattered remnants.

The poet's keen eye for symbolism captures the essence of decline and loss, reflecting on the fleeting nature of power and the delicate fragility of human achievements.

The voiceless lion embodies suppressed strength and authority, emphasizing themes of surrender and resignation.
Through this image, the poet alludes to the quiet dignity in accepting defeat, laying down one's weapons, and embracing vulnerability.

It is a moment of reckoning, where the protagonist relinquishes control and opens themselves to the potential for rebirth.

In the subsequent lines, the poet captures the turning point, the arrival of a warm day of ceremonious recompense.
This represents a moment of redemption and restoration, where the past is acknowledged, and the present offers a chance for renewal. The fragrance of royal, embellished lilac, and the spilled perfume of the ages evoke a sense of opulence and richness, filling the atmosphere with beauty and nostalgia.

The young man's fancy, the canteen in a desert, and the heart's oasis all serve as metaphors for hope, desire, and the human longing for transcendence. The passing moment that morphs into the unexpected serendipity of seeming eternity suggests the profound impact of fleeting experiences, where time collapses, and the boundaries of reality blur.

As a fellow poet I see how your prose explores themes of loss, redemption, and the transformative power of hope.

The imagery employed is rich and evocative, inviting readers to contemplate the ebb and flow of life, the cycles of power and vulnerability, and the inherent beauty found within the passage of time. It is a poem that seeks to capture the essence of human existence and the potential for transcendence in the face of adversity.

[Pete]

bullseye, bingo, precisely. give that man a cigar as i read your thoughts with near tears welling up in my eyes. remarkably accurate and insightful. you've captured and said it all to the point of scaring me.

my kingdom has indeed fallen. i went from having much to nothing and have been debating with myself if all that we go through to obtain material wealth is even worth it. do we own the things or do they own us? i am quite capable of being the phoenix rising from the ashes but have been wondering if it is even worth it as we will all return to ashes in the end. the problem lies in how to fill and define a life which of course differs from person to person but i am ever the perfectionist and spiritualist and thus constantly at battle within. my life seems to be defined by perpetual moments of reckoning that never cease.

i've learned that i can be powerfully happy with little or much although i'm now leaning towards less is more. i would like a chance to make amends and tie up some loose ends and place my hope in that. indeed, we are all always one step from humility but don't realize it because we are too busy doing the things that we feel define us and give us "true" happiness others being too carefree to even care. i've always cared too much and end up hurt. i am mostly a loner spending too much time dwelling on such matters.

i'm sure you can see why my chosen muse is thoreau and why i relate to him so well.

“I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion.” “Things do not change; we change.” “All men want, not something to do with, but something to do, or rather something to be.” “How many a man has dated a new era in his life from the reading of a book.”

when i started reading thoreau, something clicked, it was like a light was turned on. it was comforting to know that i wasn't alone in feeling as i did about life and things.

"Live your life, do your work, then take your hat." Thoreau had it as do you. thank you ... :)

[E.P. Robles]

You strive to embody Thoreau's philosophy of living life, doing his work, and taking the proverbial hat. I really liked this one.

[Pete]

yes indeed, i'm certainly getting better at it than i used to be, that is if you consider "sucking the marrow out of life" to be work ... :)

[Ken Simm.]

The stories of flowers and seasons. Excellent use of metaphor and a wonderfully structured verse all round.

[Pete]

thank you kind sir. there are some just outside my window. the fragrance is magnificent. blessings ... :)

[willweb]

Lilac was one of my favorite flowering shrubs. The grew prolifically where I grew up but where I live now they do not grow. I tried to bring some back with me and had no luck. I loved the scent of their blooms. Though we do have the Mountain Laurel down here which are similar as their fragrance is amazing. Nicely done my friend.

[Pete]

thanks ww. there's one just outside my apartment living room windows and my outdoor sitting area. the fragrance is incredible ... :)