I have lived

Photographer: Colin Smith.  Rising Sun, Weymouth Bay, Dorset, UK.  Licensed for use under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license.  The original image can be found at http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2772136.

 

 

I have lived

     …Honoring Starbucks’ poem by the same title:

        (http://www.writerscafe.org/writing/Starbucks/945275/)

 

I thought, in youth, I'd always last--

A part of me still weeps!

For now there's such diminished time

Before my final sleep

 

With Man's cruel lot, what's Victory?

And who can contradict and say

That these cut flow'rs of yesterday

Don't mirror our decay?!

 

I thought, in youth, I'd always last--

There in the glory of the sun!

Did I build castles in Life's sand--

Of life make ' reckless run?

 

I wanted to embrace so much--

The precious flow'rs of fragrant Spring!

But 'neath Fate's chthon'an hand I lived--

I plumbed the depths of suffering!

 

And Life, I held your tortured bowels--

I held them bloody on my breast!

And now I know most earnestly

I'll suffer on 'til final rest

 

But know that I have fully lived!

Beheld the center of Life's Truths--

And dreamt when young, I'd always last

But now...I'm not that youth

 

 

© 2012, Richard Puetter

All rights reserved

Author's Note

Dear Friends,

I deeply thank Starbucks for encouraging me to post this piece. Thank you so much, my friend. Without the inspiration of your poem, this poem would never be.

Much respect and gratitude,

Rick

Reviews

[Lalli]

What has always struck me with some sort of abrasion is when people comment about how our writing isn't within the confines of their expectations. The art of poetry is the creation and outlet of a person's expression. This expression comes in many forms and is not limited to any structure or expectation. I'll let that sink in for anyone who may read this comment. (Unfair to you, I noticed a little of this in the reviews)

Rick,

Your poetic roots are profound, educated, and deep. So deep that often it is a depth many have not traveled yet. Of all the many writers I've read in my years on WC, you are by far one of the most articulate I've come across.

This is my absolute favorite stanza I have EVER read from you,

"With Man's cruel lot, what's Victory?
And who can contradict and say
That these cut flow'rs of yesterday
Don't mirror our decay?!"

There is so much truth in these lines. What I like about it the most though is it really makes us readers think and question for themselves. Most of your work that I've read has been creative reconstructions of history or culture. This Is the first I've read of you branching out upon more of a inspirational personal journey. I feel like through this poem, I learned more about you than your love for history and culture.

What I'm getting at is I can really identify with this poem. It made me reminisce at my own life, my own joys, recklessness, and pain. But it also allowed me to enter the realm of appreciation. To savor the moment of now! Yes, cherish the memories of the past, excitedly look forward to the future, but to not be so focused on either to the point that we miss the moment of now. As well as the acceptance of our who we are at this point in our journey. These were the inspiring stimulants from my interpretation.

beautiful write my friend. Glad I had an old friend give me a little inspiration to get on here and read something ;)

much love n' respect
-Lalli

[Divinity Sleeps in This]

Just to give you an update Rick, this piece is tied for 1st place with 4 votes in that chapter where people voted. Oh and yeah, I see a copyright stamp there with the year and your name. I hope you are well.

[Hayley]

I really enjoyed this write. Thank you for posting; You made my day with your olden verse and pure words, pure message. You've mastered the subject. Well, well, done!

[Ruth]

Remarkable love! Always a pleasure to read a poem from your talented thoughts and pen! :)
So much within this, truly, you write with beauty and balance...I admire your work because you hold so much with fragility and verse it in potent mannerism!
Amazing xoxo

[Chloe..Across the Unive..]

Hello Rick...

Wonderful write, worth the wait~ Wonderful pharsing- Contemplating --- A life without rain would be nice tho perhaps, no i am sure , bland if no rain we would never notice the sunshiney days..Memories of childhood , a season of sun ..we never knew what the rain would bring... life is a mystery, we never know what tomorrow may bring - We just endure the rain and embrace the sunshine..
This is such a soul searching poem. I truly enjoyed it.

Chloe

[AMERICANWRITER]

VERY GOOD WORK,INDEED!

[Mark]

[heaving deep sigh]
How poignant the woes of an old man, ruing opportunities missed;
How invincible we thought we were in our twenties, and even thirties;
How lately we come to the realization that we are neither eternal, nor invincible;
How excellently you express that woeful realization!

[ShaneBerry]

as always, impeccable diction that has me referencing the dictionary and thesaurus's.
your work is always deep and original, I choose to believe that no matter how quickly you read or intently you study this one, you will take something away with you.

its always tough to review your work because there is never anything wrong with it, so its difficult to make any suggestions haha.

like 'Once We Where Giants' and 'Grecian Urn I&II' this stands out among Writers cafe.org's true gems.
thank you very much for share this outstanding work!

[Tate Morgan]

It has been ages since your last work Glad it is of a lifetime of experience.If we live long enough we cant help but learn
Your friend Tate

[Legion]

Bravo! It is a lesson that comes to us all eventually. Two helds though?

[Emerald Seas]

Skillfully written. A thought provoking work taking stock of life and what we've made of it. Isn't it always the fact that we know not what we've squandered until it is too late? Very introspective...