Poetry – FROM A DISTANCE

FROM A DISTANCE

Before we die we must make a tryst

To meet where the sun always sets.

To stare out into the embers

Reflecting the ‘has beens’, ‘could be’s’ and ‘yets’.

To stand at the edge of the universe

And survey all we have done;

The dreams that we have forgotten

And the ideals that made us one.

The beauty of our vision

Will scorch us to our soul

And dance upon our tiny lives

To the beat of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Only then may we be reborn,

Or fade into the meaningless dross,

Of the galaxies in collision

And all the meaning we have lost.

We may yet dance to the cosmic roar

And challenge the molecular storm,

For arrogance we have in plenty

But for wisdom we must be reborn.

Opher 17.2.98

I had this idea for a poem where the whole human race stood on the edge of the universe to survey their history, the possibilities that had been and the opportunities squandered.

I imagined all the people standing shoulder to shoulder surveying their timeline and the majesty of what could have happened.

As a race, all one, we have the promise to become great, yet always it seems that our greed, power-seeking and violence rob us of that possibility. Perhaps one day we will be able to reflect, have the intelligence to decide and the perspective to alter our ways.

If we put aside the hatred and strife and worked together in harmony we could achieve anything we wanted.

In my vision the whole race decided to pull together and create a better future. I saw it as a rebirth.

It is an idealistic poem.