Still On The Journey of a Lifetime
Between Here and There
Looking over top of the hill
The one found in a million greeting cards
There’s a well worn path down
To a pile of my broken bones covered in dust
-
Someone’s left a wicker basket, full of cake and wine
Meant to speed me along
Or blur the time it takes to reach the end
Instead, I grab a cloud floating past my future
I shape it into a grand pirate ship
Fit for Pan or Stevenson
And set out to reclaim the treasure I lost
Along the way to being me
-
I drop anchor and twist the mainsail
Desperate to crest back over the hill
Head towards the dust from whence I came
But the ship is too heavy
Deep in the holds are chests
Shining with multifaceted memories
Overflowing with golden moments
An embarrassment of riches
Nothing I would willingly throw over
For a prize I’d only squander, trying to get it all back
-
Reeling in the dragging anchor, I let the wind take me where I must go
Out here on the deck, I will spend my time
Bathing in the sun, soaking in the storms
Reveling with the best crew I could muster
-
When it’s time to leave my bones behind
I’ll pray I filled their chests with gold
Worthy enough to share amongst their own crew
Over a flagon of ale raised in toast
To the spirit that helped shape their dreams
And still fills their sails
For the long journey ahead
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Written for the challenge below:
About the Creator
Sean A.
A happy guy that tends to write a little cynically. Just my way of dealing with the world outside my joyous little bubble.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Easy to read and follow
Well-structured & engaging content
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Masterful proofreading
Zero grammar & spelling mistakes
On-point and relevant
Writing reflected the title & theme
Comments (8)
A welcoming imagery in the first stanza. I love the reference to a greeting card. Wine and cake. A surprising twist to this poetic journey. That it would blur the time. Cloud 🤔 oh I am loving this. I have to admit. This was my most satisfying read of the day. The clouds into ships. The repeating imagery of the ship and the bones. The way you became like an invisible vessel, not enough to imagine but still there to leave a chest of gold worthy enough to share amongst their own crew. Fantastic, just utterly fantastic Shaun. A new face in the comments but I think I will be here to stay after reading this! 🤗❤️
Such a vivid image of journeying through life. It had it all: magic, adventure, burdens, hope, cruising, death, picnic. You crammed a lot into this to make a rich image, Shaun. I loved the visuals you created and the sentiment.
This one’s absolutely gorgeous!! It has that bittersweet wisdom of someone who knows the cost of chasing the past but still chooses to sail forward with treasure in their chest. ✨
What a great entry for the challenge. A sense of hope and freedom begging us to live our best lives
This was so heartwarming. Loved it so much!
What a great wish you have! Who doesn't want a life "Overflowing with golden moments"? Great job!!
May your flagon and your sails remain full!
We are all mid-journey, like the vessel in your poem...and hope that it brings something of worth to everyone. I enjoyed the metaphor here!