Home » Poems » David Kavanagh » Hereafter

Hereafter

Living on a planet, unsure if I belong 
Where only sand grains and fossils, seem to last long 
The instinct to breathe air, compelling me along 
And the miracle that’s water, strives to prolong 

Hear the wind blow bending the trees 
Feel the bones crack inside my knees 

High upon a mountain, an avalanche gives way
Yielding to gravity, and powerful sun rays 
Down below I ponder, will this be my last day 
Still all goes over my head, as life balks away

Holding my grip busting my balls 
gives a nice twist when in free fall 

A juggernaut of lies, hurtled down that slope 
Widening debris fields, spreading rumours of hope
Is there any big truths, or just lies to help cope 
The past looks basic, viewed under a microscope 

Fossils don’t lie rocks are not bones 
Sand remodels back into stone 

I piece together the fossils, search out life’s source 
Scream out eureka, til my larynx implodes hoarse
Scan skies for graviton waves, stretching time with force 
Try stop that damn avalanche, least alter it’s course 

Raw energy blood upon dust 
Time’s eternal cascading rust

Evidence can be sketchy, when life forms a scree
In the end information, is all there can be 
Empirical pathways, are straightforward to see
If they postulate a god, good enough for me 

I’ve crawled before I’ll walk again 
Encased in skin til god knows when 

As a kid in confession, I’d mostly tell lies 
I admitted made up sins, without compromise 
The priest liked forgiving, so telling lies was wise 
He went easy on penance, devil in disguise 

Shame on us both playing such games 
He wore a cloak, I’m still the same

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Charles Coon

Date: 8/31/2023 11:35:00 AM

Very expressive poem, David..!!

David Kavanagh
Date: 9/18/2023 1:11:00 PM

Thank you so much Charles, I appreciate the comment and visit, cheers David

Bill Baker

Date: 7/22/2023 4:44:00 PM

A FAV for my list, David. Excellent poetry. I like the long verse, short verse format in this one. It breaks up the boredom of long lines going on forever it seems at times. Glad to see this one in the Top 100 new poems list. Congratulations! I like the fact that you write for yourself, and allow others to get what they want or need out of it. I try to do that myself. I like what Walt Whitman said, "Re-examine all you have been told. Dismiss what insults your soul." Write On! Bill

David Kavanagh
Date: 7/23/2023 1:10:00 AM

Thanks so much Bill, I really appreciate you stopping by and Faving this one, to be honest the shorter Lines just seemed to work as a refrain or bridge between stanzas, and happened naturally, I like that Walt Whitman quote, thanks for bringing it to my attention, making it into the top new 100 poems is very welcome indeed, cheers David

Constance La France

Date: 7/21/2023 1:51:00 PM

David, wonderful poem and congratulations on your win in my Writing Challenge H Words, very thought provoking !

David Kavanagh
Date: 7/21/2023 2:55:00 PM

Thank you Constance, I am absolutely delighted you enjoyed my truthful if not bleak interpretation of the world as I sometimes see it, cheers David

Nancy Kaufman

Date: 7/9/2023 10:41:00 AM

Hi David, This is such an excellent captivating piece. Congratulations! It is so well deserved.

David Kavanagh
Date: 7/14/2023 8:33:00 AM

Thank you so much Nancy, sorry for the late reply, I’m delighted you found my poem so captivating, it’s one of my own personal favourites, cheers David

Jan Allison

Date: 7/7/2023 3:38:00 PM

many congrats on your win with this thought provoking piece David and I have to say some of the biggest liars are the priests who to this day continue to abuse young children yet its all covered up - say 3 hail mary's be absolved and do it all over again:-( :-( hugs Jan xx

Jan Allison
Date: 7/8/2023 3:43:00 AM

Sadly not just in Ireland David:-( hugs jan xx just found a fictional poem I wrote years ago. gee it was in 2015! https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/i_confess__695695

David Kavanagh
Date: 7/8/2023 3:36:00 AM

You’re not wrong Jan, the RC church in Ireland committed some terrible atrocities on children and unmarried mothers, in their hay day, they had almost demigod status within our communities, thank you so much for stopping by, cheers David

Paula Goldsmith

Date: 7/4/2023 10:23:00 AM

Congratulations on your win. WOW!!! What an amazing write/story/ending. Good wins out. Praise God. Have a blessed/great day.................

David Kavanagh
Date: 7/4/2023 12:52:00 PM

Thank you Paula for taking the time to stop by today, I’m not sure if good wins out, it’s more important the truth wins out, perhaps some good and change might come from it, but it takes time I’m agnostic myself, so I’m still trying to make sense of this world and reality without bias to others beliefs, cheers David

Sotto Poet

Date: 7/4/2023 7:03:00 AM

David, I must express my admiration for the sheer brilliance of your work. It is adorned with veracity, crafted with selected words that interweave to illuminate a myriad of profound themes and awakenings. Your literary prowess takes us on a journey akin to a thrilling roller coaster, wherein the universality of human experiences becomes indisputable. And, oh, how I like the denouement, for it unveils a tale that resonates with enlightened souls. Congratulations on your contest win. A FAVE

David Kavanagh
Date: 7/4/2023 8:42:00 AM

High praise Lasaad, and a critique to die for, you know me I always try state the obvious, sometimes perhaps I’m overly blunt to my own detriment, I hoped I’d found balance and truth in this one without compromise or insult, thank you so much for stopping by with congrats and Fave, cheers David

Anne-Lise Andresen

Date: 7/4/2023 5:44:00 AM

- An excellent poem, David - Congratulations on your win :) - hugs

David Kavanagh
Date: 7/4/2023 6:42:00 AM

Thank you Anne-Lise for breaking the good news, I’m on holiday, so am not on the very soup much, for a little while, cheers David

I Am Anaya

Date: 7/3/2023 4:46:00 PM

Decades of abuse, and the separation of church and state in Ireland are far from complete. The two reasons for alcoholism in Ireland are (a) brutal schoolteachers who were given to corporal punishment (b) priests who put the fear of hell fire in you. Any truth? May they all rot in hell. I remember Shannade O’Connor tearing a picture of Pope John Paul I think, she shocked the nation! Lyricism A plus and your take on the human condition wows! Most intriguing writing.

David Kavanagh
Date: 7/4/2023 12:01:00 AM

Heya Anaya, I cannot and will not argue with your assessment, we indeed were brainwashed by the church, our government and media was on board too, all our institutions were infiltrated by them at some level, the alcoholism was more a cultural problem, some of our people like Sinnead, Bob Geldof and some others tried to highlight the church abuse, but were vilified for their efforts, my poem is more about the human condition from my pov, thank you so much for stopping by with enlightened comments, cheers David

Michael Tor

Date: 7/3/2023 12:58:00 PM

David this is awesome. It is so full of truth.Your wordes are incredibly well chosen to support various themes, and realizations. You take us on this roller coaster ride of experiences few can argue with. I really love the ending for it tell a deeper tale that many are starting to realize. This one is a favorite David. Thanks for sharing my friend...

David Kavanagh
Date: 7/3/2023 2:25:00 PM

Heya Michael, great to see you around these parts today, yes you are right I chose different themes to thread together the bigger message throughout this one, the search for truth through the empirical rather than the allegorical, I can only believe whatever the unbiased evidence points toward, be that a god or an eternal universe, shovelling avalanches down peoples throats is certainly not the way forward, thanks so much for stopping by and the Fave, it’s really appreciated, cheers David

Lin Lane

Date: 7/3/2023 2:47:00 AM

I'm not sure where you've been keeping this kind of writing, but more of it would be appreciated. Your monorhymes are phenomenal, and the long and short of them (you'll get my reference AND my pun) are overtly presented. I give a nod to the confessional reference ~been there and HAD to do that every Sunday, for to claim that I was sinless at 9 wouldn't have worked. So, to confess sins meant lying. Moronic! Each moment from this one is our 'hereafter,' and I'll read your lines again as a fave.

Lin Lane
Date: 7/3/2023 8:02:00 AM

It doesn't matter what others see in you, David. It's what you see in yourself that makes you who you are. We should all be brave enough to write as you do.

David Kavanagh
Date: 7/3/2023 5:27:00 AM

Whatever you see me as Lin, I’m sure others don’t, I pen for myself from life experience, mostly searching for meaning, and if some find other meaning in my posts, then I’m delighted :-)

Lin Lane
Date: 7/3/2023 3:49:00 AM

You have abstract angles that appear when you choose to pull the blinds, David, but I've a little deeper insight into your curves and smooth edges. I see you as more than a poet.

David Kavanagh
Date: 7/3/2023 3:36:00 AM

Thanks so much Lin, your endorsement and Fave means a lot to me, I’ve been working on this one for a little while, I wanted to make sure I was happy with it before posting, the hereafter title came as an afterthought no pun intended, I’m delighted you understand the insanity of putting kids through the confessional, and having to make up sins to please the system, I think the rest of the poem gives a good insight into the sort of abstract person I am, for better or worse, cheers David

Gary Radice

Date: 7/3/2023 12:50:00 AM

I really like your uncompromising view on life and all things life - not just in this poem but others too. You write for yourself not for others and mean what you say and if people agree / enjoy / comment then that's a bonus. For me, they are great qualities in a poet. Your last two stanzas, particularly, stand out simply because it appears you are confessing truthfully, about untruthful confessions. I like the title of the poem, its structure and its lyrical approach. Cheers - Gary

David Kavanagh
Date: 7/3/2023 1:12:00 AM

Heya Gary, uncompromising on myself yes, but not intransigent of others, I’m delighted you picked up on the lyrical approach, as it was inspired when watching Glastonbury and TOTP reruns on Tv, as a child it was better just to make up (sins) and get out of there fast, I do indeed write for myself, excellent critique, cheers David

Victor Buhagiar

Date: 7/2/2023 9:52:00 PM

A poem of many facets. I admire your way of alternating long and short stanzas. Your observations are much to the point. Your ending came as a surprise, though I would never lie in a confessional. Well written Best for a win.

David Kavanagh
Date: 7/3/2023 12:52:00 AM

Thank you Victor, that particular line was all about my mistrust of the RC regime that practically controlled Ireland, in those days as a kid it was safer to play along with them, cheers David

David Kavanagh

Date: 7/2/2023 2:59:00 PM

For Constance’s H contest