Monday, March 25, 2013

CDLXXXVII - Future Imperfect


Sunday Whirl (Wordle #101) presents a list of words
that we must incorporate in a writing piece.  

The words this week are:  

disguised, forgotten, country, hurry, tree, wound, 
mind, sand, stirred, jar, across, yesterday

Future Imperfect

We let yesterday control us,
Determine who we are;
Our mind’s forgotten how to try
To look forward very far.

The future’s always disguised thus,
Avoiding wounds that scar,
Like a pretty little butterfly
Kept safely in a jar.

It is a very scary place,
A country that is vast,
The sands of time, once they are stirred,
Fall, relentless and too fast.

And should we find a tree through space,
That can lead across, if asked,
We grasp the safety of the herd,
And head down, hurry past.

---
© J Cosmo Newbery 2013
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18 comments:

  1. Keeping to the plan doesn't always allow for any further exploration. That is sad, but true for so many,

    Elizabeth
    http://soulsmusic.wordpress.com/

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  2. You always do such a masterful job using these words, J Cosmo. You're right - we don't to see the future and so often want to ignore our past.

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  3. Wonderful rhythm to this, J Cosmo. Well done. This is exactly why I live in the present moment, I used to worry about the past and the future. I know now I can only learn from my mistakes and try not to repeat them, and I have absolutely no control over the future. It makes life less complicated that way.

    Pamela

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  4. Oh, the 'safety of the herd,' it's really a herd of lemmings, isn't it? Cos, you wove that Wordle into food for thought. I used to cling to a horrible past, let it drag me down like an anchor, all the while worrying about the future. Now the past is a series of balloons floating about for my inspection - and I usually ignore them until writing! The future? Who cares, since I've been assured of burning in Hell, ha ha ha.

    Somehow a vision of the Vietnam Vet Memorial flew in front of my eyes as I read this. All those futures now lying in the past, you know? Excellent writing, my friend. Amy

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  5. great. clever use of ' jar'. I love the image of the pretty little butterflies.

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  6. Oh, Cos... I know you welcome constructive advice... perhaps changing "pretty little" butterflies to something like "precious"? Unless you wanted your butterflies to be a little too sweet? Just a thought. I know it would mess with your meter, but it's an idea I thought worth exploring. I only mention things like this to poets I like a lot! Peace. A

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  7. I agree, we do too often focus on the wrong direction—looking back when we should be looking forward. I fear I fall prey way to often to the here-and-now than either the past or future.

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  8. "The sands of time, once they are stirred,
    Fall, relentless and too fast."

    I'm afraid that these words resonate all too loudly with me. I received word Sunday night that a dear friend had died suddenly and unexpectedly Saturday morning. Like the sands, she fell much too fast.

    A Dozen Whirls

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  9. So very true and well written.

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  10. Thank you. Almost painfully true. And living in the moment isn't easy either...

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  11. Beautifully written dear J Cosmo and so true.
    xoxoxo ♡

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  12. that opening stanza grabbed my attention and reeled me in! If only we could move forward without the past holding us back!

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  13. ugh...it was the safety of the herd that grabbed me in this....and in that we lose our identity and sadly a bit of destiny as well...so true on how we let the past define us as well....

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  14. There are some things, events, issues from one's past one does hold on to...some are good; some are bad.

    A moment in time from my past revisited me earlier this week (which is now in the past)...and I loved and enjoyed its visit!

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  15. A great read, with wonderful rhythm and pace.

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  16. Excellent weaving of words ~ The opening lines caught my attention right away ~

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  17. Ah, Lao says something like: to live in the past is depression, to live in the future, anxiety. To live in the present is to experience bliss. Another great sage, I forget who, says we walk backward thru time, aware of the past, peripherally aware of the present and blind to the future. I too, would love to find a tree to take me into my/our uncertain future.

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  18. To manage my Epilepsy I have adapted a pretty strict schedule when to eat, when to exercise, when to sleep, when to clean and while it has helped keep my healthy and keep my stress down I sometimes feel like I am not living life to the fullest, like life has lost a certain spark and spontaneity. Everyday is very much the same and I get so caught up surviving I forget about my dreams. Nothing whatever can be done to make my personality blend in with the mainstream though haha So many ways people get stuck, balance is not easy!

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