Alternate Lives
Become a
Premium Member
and post notes and photos about your poem like James Moore.

(“Still Life”, 2021, original encaustic)
Alternate Lives
Time appears to go in a line
From then to now
And some times it does
But at a certain point the stream
Becomes a river
Which then spreads into a delta.
I’ve always found the metaphors
Of literal geography to be the best,
And in this life can see the threads
Of alternate lives play out
All the what ifs
We’ll never really know.
What if my first wife and I had children
Instead of abortions?
I’m sure we would have stayed together,
And my daughter by the next wife would not be,
At least not who she is to me now.
And what of my life with wife number three?
Certainly that would not be.
And in the alternate beings and not beings
I would not have done all the things
I have done to make me me
And the same for everyone else touched
And moved and divided by the flow of time.
A flow that sometimes seems insignificant
Until it clearly isn’t
And the parting is complete,
Until it isn’t, and some kind of unity,
A whole greater than the parts
Is realized again.
(3/26/25)
Copyright © James Moore | Year Posted 2025
Post Comments
Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.
Please
Login
to post a comment