Don’t scan your horoscope today
to find out what the stars may say
tomorrow brings, or if you’ll see
the lilacs bloom again, that tree
bud, flare, and fade, the sun decline
into its winter’s mortal shine:
what lies ahead is still a blur,
though what’s to come is all too sure.
The vanished years recede so fast,
and any smile may be our last:
we’re not designed to glimpse our end;
just take what good the gods may send.
This is all we need to know:
we’ve got today: don’t let it go.
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In imitation of (though not a translation of) Horace Odes I.11.
Please note that I never have used and never will use AI to compose or revise any of my writings.
A random comment on poetry in general: A good poem is addressed to the person who reads it, not to the person who writes it. By this standard, there are practically no good poems being written today.
By any river, all the waterfalls,
Every scene of life, we toast the stars.
we run and we sing, with passion in heart
Just like Kurt's guitar: broken apart.
Shrinking the world, borders go away
In this fantasy, we'd better stay.
Mind strong words, that set us free
Freedom is key, for you and for me.
Life is a movie by Wes Anderson;
Absurd yet superb, Don't leave it unshown.
Across ups and downs, we'll face any risk
When yearning is guide, we pass them brisk.
Don't escape from dark day of roaming
Let's go through the endless gloaming.
Youth is a fire, that burns the fear,
It's not so easy, but deem it dear.
give your restless hand, let's tango in sync,
With the "sweet life", we drown and think.
Listen to Horace and seize every day,
In our tough journey; we'll find every way.
Oh, let us defy... death's cold embrace
And let our dreams; soaring in space.
In time's symphony, for morrow's bright,
The moon and the sun, lead us through night.
Together we'll seek a purpose untold,
Find the meaning of the boulder we hold.
For life is a song, a chord to play.
Tune with it but, forget to obey.
The poet named Horace
with sapphic genre once set the pace
He introduced the stanza Latin
thus did Roman poesy begin
Quintus Horatius Flaccus
as Horace this poetwe now 'sus'
His words so full of charm&grace
sadly no 'selfie' exists of his face
Horace Bonson lost his hat,
It was very windy.
It blew off,
And flew away,
Causing quite a shindy.
Horace was not at all impressed,
Losing his best Titfer,
Which made him so depressed,
He needed a Sniiifter
Sing to the tune of Good King Wenceslas
In 1987, he starred in a movie that was called 'The Monster Squad'.
At a very young age, he died and went to Heaven to be with God.
Two other movies that he starred in were 'Home Free' and 'Dance 'Til Dawn'.
When he died of Pneumonia in 1997, it was hard to believe that he was gone.
He abandoned his acting career to study law before dying at the age of 22.
To die at such a young age is unfair and ridiculous, and that certainly is true.
[Dedicated to Brent Chalem (1975-1997) who died on December 9, 1997.]
This poem has been removed for publishing on Amazon in WW II in Poetry: Veterans Stories in Poetry, including my late father's who was a Spitfire pilot in the Nigeria Squadron. As it says at the end, "For free speech".
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/WW-II-Poetry-Veterans-Stories-ebook/dp/B07DGLF33G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528537495&sr=8-1&keywords=Rhoda+Monihan
I am HighwayHorace your hero dog
I prowl the area at night
Chasing away the naughty cats
Who wake children up when they fight
I woof at the burglars making sure
Your all safe whilst your asleep
Before going home to my own kennel
To dream of meaty bones and treats
I follow the children when the leave
to go to school each day
Making sure they walk not run
Plus on the pavements stay
I make them stop at every kerb
Look right and left and right
No cars coming then you can cross
Safely without a fright
Am always here, waiting for the call
A dangerous incident has occurred
Two little boys on their bicycles are about
Recklessly riding not afeared
I jump in front of them making them turn
Woofing at them to behave and home to stay
Pavements belong to everyone, so use them
safely with care the HighwayHorace way.
Motto is
Remember the Highway Code and be safe.
Penned 08/08/2014
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