A Walk Through Hell

Human nature leads us to repeat past mistakes which may yield regret!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

At times we are our own worst enemy....this is my musing of self blame!

A Walk Through Hell

Drudged Hell's road again today,
Losing sight of my lifeline.
I slipped but then found the way,
Inspecting a former road sign.

In valley of tears mid woe,
Pathway found familiar grave.
Met old formidable foe,
From myself too much I gave.

Blotted sweat away from brow,
Though heat of fires is quenched not.
Soul's guilt clearly in full view,
Self-esteem wanes now to rot.

Agony from past looms o'er me yet.
Future rests on fragile thread.
Foolish acts birth deep regret.
Future joins now with the dead.

Shamed, my head I humbly bow.
Distraught I am, now sorely pained.
Flames burn sacrificial cow.
Much was ventured, nothing gained!

Sheila Bowyer Kline

Reviews

[J Harding]

Hey there,

I really like this piece, the power in the symbolism behind each line, indeed each word is huge. Each line has clearly been carefulyl thought out and deliberated on, and the rhyming allows it to flow beautifully despite being a reasonably slow tortured piece.

I particularly liked:"Self esteem wanes now to rot" but maybe that's purely because it struck a chord with me.

Excellent piece, well written and good choice of picture :)

[Sean M. Addams]

wow!! a very powerful and haunting piece...liked this alot and thought it was expressed well... overall i thought this was impressive piece from u... nice job!!!

[emmajoy]

'Pain from past looms o'er me yet ~ Future rests on fragile thread ~ Foolish acts birth deep regret ~ Future joins now with the dead' Those words jumped out at me, and twice ..

Life is full of mistakes .. you, your words admit to this then you tear yourself apart in recrimination as if you need penance. Don't we all?

Don't you think that we live and live a see-saw life .. not bothering to learn from the happy good - that's taken forgranted! Instead we self examine the bad, turn it inside out and self-flagellate by thinking too hard and write and write almost apologising for being human.

Sheila, your poem is incredible.. tho I dislike the phrase 'it's thought provoking' - can't think of anything better. You create pictures in your Friends' mind, fun and happines, sadness, bewilderment etc and so brilliantly.

Hugs for being you..

[Jenny Nelson]

Wonderful and absolutely true. So descriptive and so well worded to really drive your point home. Met old formidable foe/From myself I must be saved" If we could only break free from ourselves. Excellent write!
"

[Magdelena]

Ms. Sheila this, I must say, was one heck of a powerful piece! It brought so many images to mind that I am still in awe of its imprint that still lingers.. It seems we have not only the 'Queen of Romance' among us, but maybe also the 'Queen of horror'? You so inspire me!

Mags xx

[George Love]

Love the picture used to illustrate your feelings here. I got your intent within the first verse and the way this read kept me going to the end of the work. The tortured soul lingers to wander and wonder, till we realize why we're tortured.

[Stacey Watts]

This was such a very true to form poem in my opinion. It was well written and the flow was well executed. We are the hardest on ourselves. I try hard to be positive but you know it is hard at times. Excellent job.

[R J Askew]

This had the feel of absolute honesty about it. You are examing yourself, your life and what lies ahead. This is hard to do at times. We are blesed with great intelligence -- heaven -- but cursed with the knowledge of our own flaws and demise -- hell. Life is a hard experience because we get little tastes of beauty and love, enought to know that they exist. Then we grown old and our chances of achieving them slip. This is a terrible realisation. But it is how we are. Perhaps once we come through the fires of this realisation we can live more calmly.

[Georgia Gypsy]

I too walk this road day after day...doomed to repeat the same mistakes over again....You did a wonderful job spelling out the truth of the matter. And hope you find your way Ms Sheila! I am finding mine, it takes one step at a time....



(ps-i started writing down my mistakes...so i can try to stay away from repeating them.....helps some:)

[LisetteCanWrite!]

This was full of wisdom... and yes wrong decisions can cut like a knife.. thus is life though and it can certainly be cyclical when pertaining to relationships. It shows the realistic values of what life can bring us when we don't look before we leap.. it's a bit depressing but it's life! To think one will find all of life's happiness in the arms of a lover or just even one career or skill really these days.. well.. that is a nice lie.. but it's not the full spectrum of what life is about! Winds of change.. are changing the rules of that game terribly fast. You have a rhythm and rhyme here that is really good.. the lesson is one that certainly has touched all at many points in life.. on many levels.

It is a writing of Multiplicity.. a weave of brilliance surrendering to the pain of struggles which while they bring us down.. does bring wisdom but at such high price.. and usually too late. Bravo.. true to the essence of today's world for sure!

[Tina Kline]

I know the feeling of these words. They are all so true.
Great rhyme, excellent flow and the powerful words and imagery make this a
fantastic write.