The New What’s Going On Blog has as its theme in this week of writing the topic of “Contradictions”. I thought about it and once again a line from Shakespeare was my inspiration. Death and life, youth and old age, togetherness and loneliness, Winter and Spring… Here is my offering:
Brief Candle
“Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player.”
My life is like a candle stump
Flame sputtering, in a formless lump.
Life’s now in the Winter of its course,
No energy, no strength, no force.
The years have flitted by so quick
Memories rapidly go past, flick.
I see their images as time goes by
Too fast to recognise, be seen by eye.
The coldness grows, the chill advances
No more reprieves, no second chances.
Winter with rain and snow that fall
Death nearing, having me in his thrall.
And yet, I’ve loved back in a distant Spring,
My heart was taught to fly and sing;
My soul with the beloved’s soul had merged
And up to heaven high we’d surged.
Love’s potions are as strong as death
Love’s spells are potent shibboleth.
My life’s a moth circling a flame
Diving into fire that its being will claim.
Life’s lived, and used, and spent
It came, lingered a little, and it went.
The hours, the minutes precious now,
It’s time great truths to utter, avow:
Life’s a brief candle, burning fast
Enjoy its light while it may last.
And yet, I’ve loved back in a distant Spring,
My heart was taught to fly and sing;
My soul with the beloved’s soul had merged
And up to heaven high we’d surged.
Love’s potion will preserve my essence,
Love’s spell is an eternal inflorescence.
And once again, here’s the poem set to music and you can find it in my “Otidorchestre” channel and listen to it on YouTube, Spotify, Amazon, Deezer, Flo, Pandora, and other music sharing sites.
