L Milton Hankins Poet Rhyme

The Meaning of Life

I stand at the edge of the precipice
And ponder the meaning of life --
The greediness, bullying, and prejudice
Our world riddled with hate and strife,
I think about my reason for being
Here in this specific place and time
Wondering why so many are unseeing
The pleasure of life on earth is sublime.
Then, I realize it depends on one’s place
One’s religion, one’s politics, one’s race,
For many people life is an uphill climb.
They spend most of their life fleeing
From grime, gross poverty, and crime.
Daily they struggle for their very being
Sometimes facing down a gun or a knife
And many make the ultimate sacrifice.
I stand at the edge of the precipice
And ponder the meaning of life.

submitted to "Life Is" Poetry Contest
June 26, 2022
sponsored by Nayda Ivette Negron Flores

SECOND PLACE WINNER
"Beatitude Rhyming Poem" Poetry Contest
sponsored by Beata Augustin
written November 8, 2021

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Beata Agustin December 28, 2021 at 10:31 PM Congrats. Thanks for sharing this "be-attitude of the heart." God bless you. A blessed New Year to your and your family.

Caren Krutsinger November 9, 2021 at 7:37 AM "For many people life is an uphill climb. They spend most of their life fleeing From grime, gross poverty, and crime. Daily they struggle for their very being" This is empathetic and tgrue. I remember teaching at a school in Chicago where the children told me they could only go two blocks away from home or they would be killed by a neighboring gang. L Milton Hankins November 9, 2021 at 9:19 AM Wow, it's almost unbelievable and unbelievably sad that children grow up like this.

Shirley Hawkins November 8, 2021 at 5:33 PM It's hard to fathom, isn't it. L Milton Hankins November 8, 2021 at 8:01 PM Always, but we must keep trying to figure it out, don't you think?

Bill Baker November 8, 2021 at 4:46 PM I can identify with a great deal of ponderingthis world we live in and the condition of the inhabitants. I like the way you used the first two line and last two line as bookends to a well written and rhyming poem Milt. L Milton Hankins November 8, 2021 at 8:04 PM Bill, I really appreciated your read and your thoughtful comment on my poem. Some of my stuff is pretty reflective, touching on things I have "pondered" for a long time. Thanks.

Terry Flood November 8, 2021 at 4:44 PM Excellent, thought provoking write, Milt. I have to say I have a ‘shit happens’ mentality so I keep one eye open in the hope I can steer clear of it. Of course for many, there’s so much shit happening that it can’t be avoided. So whilst I rarely ponder ‘purpose’, I do fully appreciate the ‘luck’ which some might call ‘the Grace of God’. Terry Terry Flood November 9, 2021 at 11:27 AM I think I’ve mislead you, Milt. I ponder EVERYTHING. There’s barely a thing I do that I haven’t got mapped out, drawn up or thought through… BUT… I never ponder why I’m here. If any of us could travel back to 150 years, the likelihood of us being born would seem infinitesimal. No, I don’t think we’re born with a purpose… I think we must find or create our own purpose… hmm… I’m making things worse, so I’ll leave it there. Terry L Milton Hankins November 8, 2021 at 8:05 PM That surely is an acceptable way to look at things, Terry. I have one of those minds that mulls. LOL

David Kavanagh November 8, 2021 at 2:34 PM Brilliant truthful poem Milton, on the precipice of life, and indeed it does all depend on ones place, you have some of the meaning figured out, which is a lot more than most, this poem places a seed in the reader's mind, Cheers David L Milton Hankins November 8, 2021 at 3:38 PM Thank you so much, David, for your thoughtful response to my poem.

Gershon Wolf November 8, 2021 at 1:06 PM A struggle, a chore for so many. For us here in the USA, for the most part, a privilege. L Milton Hankins November 8, 2021 at 3:38 PM I think so, Gershon. I am so thankful that I was born in America. Having traveled to various places in the world, I've had a firsthand look, and it is not always pleasant!