A poem ("oh no", you groan)
Posted: July 8th, 2024, 7:57 pm
I went through a poetry writing phase several years ago. I even sometimes stood on a stage and read aloud.
First, it was all highly personalised, subjective anger, sarcasm and bitterness - a cathartic vent for the mounting frustration I felt in my own life ..... my job, my home life, my daily culture clashes with my adopted home of Japan.
Then, gradually, as the bile was slowly and inexorably purged like a self exorcism, I turned away from toxic introspection and began a more reasoned observation of the world in general.
Alas, I didn't have a sudden, joyful epiphany - my anger simply turned to resigned sadness as, looking around me, I saw what people and societies worldwide had willingly allowed themselves to become.
Stupid dogmas - social, political, religious or worse -now dictate to us what is right and wrong, good and bad, moral and immoral. And, in so doing, they make us lose sight of what actually makes us caring and empathetic individuals, family members, friends, colleagues ..... and even passing strangers
This poem came out of that time and those feelings.
THE TRUE DEADLY SINS
The deadliest of sins are regarded as seven
Yet, in truth, there are far, far more.
Not those which are used to shame guilt-filled fools
But the real sins which all should abhor
Boxes of tools just gone to rust
Cobwebbed bicycles years unridden
Wise musings long since lost to time
Alongside poetry left unwritten
Countless projects never started
Yet more abandoned and unfinished
So many journeys never made
Old memories, year by year, diminished
Paintings that are never painted
Joining sculptures never carved
Fine wines and foods unrelished
Whilst knowing elsewhere others starve
Books just gathering dust, unread
Sweet music left unplayed
Important movies never watched
Once treasured photos left to fade
Endearments that aren't whispered
And apologies that aren't given
Secrets festering undisclosed
Wounds from others unforgiven
Small joys left uncelebrated
Peaceful moments seldom taken
Witty company unappreciated
Dear friends that are forsaken
Grave truths left silently unvoiced
True love that's never truly valued
Ambitions pushed aside by fear
Regrets and grudges long accrued
Wishful dreams being never realised
And myriad promises never kept
Keen passions too long unembraced
In a life not lived, just slept
These then, are the true deadly sins
More damning than from any priest
They’re being blind to what's truly important,
And seeing only what matters the least
First, it was all highly personalised, subjective anger, sarcasm and bitterness - a cathartic vent for the mounting frustration I felt in my own life ..... my job, my home life, my daily culture clashes with my adopted home of Japan.
Then, gradually, as the bile was slowly and inexorably purged like a self exorcism, I turned away from toxic introspection and began a more reasoned observation of the world in general.
Alas, I didn't have a sudden, joyful epiphany - my anger simply turned to resigned sadness as, looking around me, I saw what people and societies worldwide had willingly allowed themselves to become.
Stupid dogmas - social, political, religious or worse -now dictate to us what is right and wrong, good and bad, moral and immoral. And, in so doing, they make us lose sight of what actually makes us caring and empathetic individuals, family members, friends, colleagues ..... and even passing strangers
This poem came out of that time and those feelings.
THE TRUE DEADLY SINS
The deadliest of sins are regarded as seven
Yet, in truth, there are far, far more.
Not those which are used to shame guilt-filled fools
But the real sins which all should abhor
Boxes of tools just gone to rust
Cobwebbed bicycles years unridden
Wise musings long since lost to time
Alongside poetry left unwritten
Countless projects never started
Yet more abandoned and unfinished
So many journeys never made
Old memories, year by year, diminished
Paintings that are never painted
Joining sculptures never carved
Fine wines and foods unrelished
Whilst knowing elsewhere others starve
Books just gathering dust, unread
Sweet music left unplayed
Important movies never watched
Once treasured photos left to fade
Endearments that aren't whispered
And apologies that aren't given
Secrets festering undisclosed
Wounds from others unforgiven
Small joys left uncelebrated
Peaceful moments seldom taken
Witty company unappreciated
Dear friends that are forsaken
Grave truths left silently unvoiced
True love that's never truly valued
Ambitions pushed aside by fear
Regrets and grudges long accrued
Wishful dreams being never realised
And myriad promises never kept
Keen passions too long unembraced
In a life not lived, just slept
These then, are the true deadly sins
More damning than from any priest
They’re being blind to what's truly important,
And seeing only what matters the least
The Lycos servers are wonky, BTW, and if you get a "proxy error" just keep trying later. Its up most days.
