The delicate use of now

Poetry about the frailty of this very existence.

It is a tricky little machinery

This body of ours

So fragile it can break at any time

So broken it can lose its color 

By the very touch of Mother Nature herself.

But we, nevertheless,

Go on thinking we’ll be around forever

Distracted by everyday life chores

And the imagery display of our mind paraphernalia.

We amuse ourselves with our own reflection in the mirror

Thinking that somehow that reflects the “I”

We get distracted by the streets of the cities we pass by

The people we meet and their elaborate talk

The poetry we so naively write

Thinking we’re going to change something or someone

Believing we’re going to live forever.

Poetry is nothing but a narrative of now

And these words are as solid

As the wind I feel in my hair.

Reviews

[Shimmerbliss/CAF]

"Poetry is nothing but a narrative of now" - yes, and don't we hope to somehow capture these moments...the experiences that have impressed us, if only for ourselves. They are like word snapshots to me. As I age, I realize the frailty of my "machinery". It may seem morose, but for some reason I am thinking about tombstones...how futile they are....perhaps our wanting to record in writing is similar (in a weird poetic kind of random thing :/). I have often walked through a cemetery and lingered on the stones, when those the deceased thought would care perhaps don't. Oh, my....I am rambling and embarrassing myself here...to think I don't even know you and I am revealing my strange mind workings! See what you did to me?!

[Rod]

Hehe.. Well, I think it's actually smart to realize the frailty of our machineries, I guess most of us just take life for granted :)

[Philip Muls]

The essence of the now as opposed to the egoic mind dealing with past and future. The denial of our mortality through repressing and illusion.

I love the way you play with very heavy matters of the human condition.
I would very much appreciate your opinion about my story A Thousand Weddings dealing with some of the same stuff.

[Rod]

Hi there Philip, I've always been curious about the idea of just how we, as human beings, simply take life for granted as if we were going to live forever. Eastern Philosophy (Je Tsongkhapa, Nagarjuna) have always looked at theses things a much more courageous ways than my western heroes (Kant, schopenhauer). I'l definitely take a look at your story to check out your take on the matter. Cheers

[Tiffany K Charles]

all we live for is the now..... there is nothing else that matters but now...... well done young chap..... well done....

[Rod]

Thanks Tiffany! I guess we all struggle with this machinery we call body, as if stuck inside our minds, trapped in dreams of future and past... I'm glad you liked it

[alifeacoustic]

Superb, absolutely superb. Our very existence is counted by all the distractions we find in life, work, relationships, pensions, what we'll have for lunch, what we'll wear....An endless list of distractions to hide the fact that this rollercoaster we call life has a terminus and one way or another, you're going there eventually.

[Rod]

I have to agree with you, we're all "going there eventually". Most of us keep trying not to look at death, not only just this body we carry around, but the end of every small little thing we do in life in every minute. I suppose we should accept this whole experience as impermanent and do the best with what we have right now. Thanks for the comment buddy

[Weeping willow]

Nicely expressed,many believe their words will somehow keep going on,long after they have gone;- Not sure of that,but hopeful wishes.

[softlyfall]

“Trees are poems the earth writes upon the sky, We fell them down and turn them into paper,
That we may record our emptiness.”
― Kahlil Gibran

[Woody]

somewhat melancholy and pessimistic and yet very true. this could serve as an awakening call to some disillusioned people who think they're immortal.
nice one Rod.