Charles Reese Poet Pantoum

With Fingers Crossed

With Fingers crossed I sail alone
To find what now awaits for me
No net is there in the unknown
If failure comes, I will not be

To find what now awaits for me
I go where I've not gone before
If failure comes, I will not be
If I cannot in life endure

I go where I've not gone before
To find a place where I can build
If I cannot in life endure
I hope at least to have a shield

To find a place where I can build
Something that stands both time and test
I hope at least to have a shield
To finish now life's silent quest

Something that stands both time and test
No net is there in the unknown
To finish now life's silent quest
With fingers crossed I sail alone

Wrote April 30 by Charles Reese for the This or That poetry contest

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Ink Empress May 4, 2026 at 9:45 AM Dear Charles, your pantoum is so catchy and beautiful and has a flow to it which reminds me somehow, to go where the sails take me, time, and test, part of life, fingers crossed we reach serene shores. I love the way youv written this! And its very fitting for the prompt, so seamless and written in such ease. Pleasure reading. Best wishes. Sending you light, always Charles Reese May 4, 2026 at 2:42 PM I love to both read and write very structured poetry I think it's beauty unmatched I am very glad you like this poem but I know I am up against stiff competition

Christuraj Alex May 3, 2026 at 4:12 AM "To find what now awaits for me I go where I've not gone before" - Indeed, very powerful lines. Charles Reese May 3, 2026 at 4:17 AM Thank you it's nice to meet someone else who truly knows how to write very structured poetry

Mary Anne Whalen May 1, 2026 at 5:24 PM This is very good. I know that feeling of starting something new. You expressed that feeling so well! Charles Reese May 1, 2026 at 8:30 PM Thanks for reviewing it I am glad you liked it

Andrea Dietrich April 30, 2026 at 9:32 PM You really are great with pantoum. I think of all the poets I have met in the past year, you are someone who is most like me in the way you use rhythm and rhyme in differing classic forms. That is so nice to see around here! Charles Reese April 30, 2026 at 11:15 PM Well seeing you are ranked the number one poet on this site that's a huge compliment you and I have reviewed each other poetry clear back when this site started I just had taken breaks for extended periods glad you liked it