It Was The Striving

Paul Gerard Reed

When I think back

It was the striving that made us happy

A target to aim for,

A growing-up to live through;

Striving wasn't an effort

It was just the thing we wanted to do

To get somewhere;

 

Enjoyment and pleasure cannot compete with it

The wanting to land somewhere

On a high plain,

On life's ledges;

Where we could stop and take a breath

And decide that we'd almost made it

Even though we hadn't;

 

And now, all this is past

Like a river flowed by

Like a long drawn-out goodbye

And we are left with an empty space

No longer in the race,

Nothing left but surviving

Gone, the glorious striving.

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Comments +

Comments2

  • sorenbarrett

    I heard the end of this poem before it arrived. To look up and say I made it this far is wonderful but to say it is over is another thing. Complex emotions and thoughts fill this poem and leave a feeling of nostalgia and sadness.

  • Poetic Licence

    Very well written write reflecting on the thoughts and emotions of having dreams and aspirations, always having something to strive for, you get a sense of hopelessness at the end, that there are no more dreams, just getting by, loved the read



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