By Joseph Hesch
Many have lived long
but chosen not to live much.
Others have lived such a short time,
but filled it to overflowing
with the richest marrow of existence.
Me? I have lived not so long
nor so short, but forgotten most
of what I've done in my frugal, yet
misspent time. Apparently, its treasure
went unsaved in the broken vault
of my memory.
Now, as the shadows of my days
grow longer, I crave the need to live,
to experience a fuller life
(whatever that means) in whatever
currency I can spend among the living.
Age has assured it won't be
everything it once might have been,
but if I can, it will be all--
all I can be, all I can love,
and maybe all you can remember.
Live each day to the fullest if you can....
ReplyDeleteLovely poem Joe...I understand that craving to live..before it's too late.. :)
ReplyDeletegotta live while you're here... great poem, Joseph
ReplyDeletenever too late to live...lot of truth in those opening lines...live, and live abundant...
ReplyDeleteThere comes a time when we all have that Joplin moment (the singer, not the disaster--though some might question a distinction) "Get it while you can." She certainly did, though I wouldn't exactly say it worked out. But as your poem points out. some times may weigh differently in ways we don't measure with a clock.
ReplyDeletelove the title joe and..a fuller life
ReplyDelete(whatever that means)...good questions and guess many of us may ask the same..
I think there comes a time in our lives when we realise that we aren't going to live forever, afterall. As teens and in our 20's and even 30's time is all on our side and then one day we maybe realise, the music sounds like a lot of noise and not music anymore. The rollercoaster rides seems scary now, etc etc. We ache in places that didn't used to hurt, and, we realise, I'm getting old (er) So, maybe then we realise, life needs to be lived in the 'now' and, not at some future point in time.
ReplyDeleteThis is lovely prose, very thought provoking and written in a very gentle way.
Thank you for sharing it.
Reflections from one who has lived long...
ReplyDeleteTo truly live...wonderful sentiment. Great write! ~ Rose
ReplyDelete