Get Your Premium Membership

Human Frailty

Listen to poem:
...Apologies to Heraclitus and W. H. Auden... We, defeated by the merest things, in defeat, endure...for now. No abiding truth in faith: origins and destinations we cannot differentiate, all random, unguided by any prescient power; but, not illogical (there is no illogic.) We impose all universal order, influence what subsequently occurs, to learn, or not, through endless repetition, endless failure...and we are but a current iteration, here for now -- in constant flux, defeated by the merest things. Courage and nobility derived from continued confrontation, continued endless struggle, let us show an affirming flame.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2014




Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 7/21/2015 11:35:00 AM
'The incapacitating and limited ken of man' - one would precisely describe it thus. A real opus by a foremost literary scholar, I have no doubt...7+!
Login to Reply
Date: 4/25/2015 12:44:00 PM
It is a process.
Login to Reply
Date: 4/7/2015 7:57:00 PM
This is pretty deep... :) I'll have to read it a few more times I think. Super interesting, keep it up!
Login to Reply
Date: 4/6/2015 7:51:00 PM
Excellent piece, Leo.
Login to Reply
Date: 3/9/2015 5:07:00 PM
Nice flow of words attracting the reader with their complicity of purpose, resulting in a pleasant sounding poem ending on a spiritual note. Emile. #7
Login to Reply
Date: 1/5/2015 10:54:00 PM
A deep one, Leo. You are a "thinking" poet!
Login to Reply
Date: 12/31/2014 9:26:00 AM
Somewhere the flame, the light is burning for us. Let us hope. Happy New Year. Love, daver
Login to Reply
Date: 10/29/2014 8:44:00 AM
I believe our fragility is one of our strength for it creates an urgency to accomplish something within this abbreviated existance. It also causes us to search for meaning beyond this existance therefore we reach past our temporary towards the hand of God.
Login to Reply
Date: 7/20/2014 10:14:00 PM
Larry, defining the human character you did well... Enjoyed. Verlena
Login to Reply
Date: 7/14/2014 12:18:00 PM
My favorite part is the third paragraph, which sums up this human tragic comedy quite nicely. I hope you entered this in the new free verse contest, and wish you well to a win if you did !
Login to Reply

Book: Shattered Sighs