THE ROAD BEHIND
By Charles Robert Lindholm 2-18-2017 at 3:00 a.m.
My days are moving faster now
than they ever did
and summers lasted longer
when I was just a kid
I don’t know all the reasons why
the seasons fly by
but there are too many candles
on my birthday cake
I can’t take it slower
though I know I should
’cause the world is turning faster
than I wish it would
I know I’m growing older
and that time won’t erase
the lines and the creases
I see on my face
So, I’m saving up my memories
of the way things were
before they get too fuzzy
and become a blur
I’ve lived and laughed and loved
but in the end we find
“the road ahead is shorter
than the one we’ve left behind”
© 2017 Charles Robert Lindholm – All Rights Reserved
Well done Chuck! You are so right… time keeps moving on faster the closer we get to the finish line!
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Thank you so much Dwight for your kind words!! I so appreciate you exploring my Archive!!!!
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You have such a great stash!!
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This is a beautiful piece and i love the fact that anyone can relate to it because we all go through moments were we feel like life is moving too fast for us. It’s amazing how you manage to put words together in such a unique way. I love this
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Oh my, you are so kind with your words! I am so happy that this has spoken to you and hope that others will feel as you do!! Your praise is too kind! I am so glad you are enjoying my posts! My words that you haven’t read yet are starting to get a little jealous, Ha! I so appreciate your visits/comments. So honored to have you reading my posts!
Chuck
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Entirely my pleasure!
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I love the pondering on this road ahead, the secret life of a reluctant poet, a vault of memories, and a brilliant cake with the poets’ wisened face reflecting candles.
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Yes, that is something that happens more when you are a little older and considering the future.
Ha! I love the Candles on the Cake. There comes a time when a birthday is not what it was when you were younger. The candles make you feel older and wish that you could slow life down, but then we realize that we can’t and are just happy to have our feet hit the floor every morning!
Thanks so much for spending time with me and my work on the blog!!!
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Memories are something we treasure. They’re ours alone which we can share if we desire, or keep them locked inside as our little secrets to visit when we like.
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So true what you say about memories. Reminds me of some of the lines in the song “Time In A Bottle”. Yes, I to feel that way about some memories. Some are just private. But it is great that we get to “replay” them over again whenever we want. Most are hung in special places in my mind.
Thanks so much for stopping be and commenting. It means a lot to me.
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Aaww very true and it’s my pleasure. Yes memories are part of our happiness mostly, especially the ones we keep and want to recall when we are alone.
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Thanks for your insightful comments! Those special memories we keep to ourselves remind me of the depictions on screen of those who keep stolen art in a secret vault that they alone visit. Thanks so much for that imagery!!!
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It’s always a pleasure.
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I also realize the road ahead is shorter than the one left behind. Good thing that you have more time to write than you did before (my assumption). There were so many moments should have been written to preserve the relevance, but time was spent on filling in the moments with pressing incidence. I love to read your poems.
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The realization comes home doesn’t it! Yes, I have more time but only lately since joining WordPress.com have I been blessed with a “relative” flood of inspiration.
You can identify with this reference. I feel like I have just come out of wandering in the wilderness for 40 years! It is only through the desire and inspiration of reading others works and keeping focused have I been able to really start achieving my goal of really writing poetry.
I think you just knocked me off of my feet with your final words. It is such a joy to have someone love one of my poems. I really do look at them like children in their own way. Words wanting to have their own life in the world!
YOU HAVE MADE MY DAY AND DAYS TO COME! I am so honored!
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Thank you for your comment! I find myself writing poem in response to someone’s poem. I can’t quite “compose” a poem, it only comes when inspired. I’m still learning writing poetry, but since I read so many poems to students in my teaching years, singing traditional hymns with lyrics basically poetry, and reading psalms in the Bible, poems comes naturally to me when inspired. I should come visit and stay longer next time. I am glad my comment made sense to you!!
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I really appreciate you taking time to comment and connect! I am the same way about being inspired. I used to have to wait for it – like waiting for rain to end a drought but have learned lately (from being on WordPress) that it is possible to seed the clouds! I have learned that it is possible to “put yourself in the way of inspiration so that it has to “pass through you” to move on to it’s next destination”. Come see my “In Love With A Muse” and “The Reluctant Poet”.
I have a “Word Bank” where I write down words, phrases, ideas and titles for use at a later date. Often just reading over it makes me withdraw something and write about it. I have found that for me, being able to sit in a dark room with complete silence and to think of a word or topic works. I like to think of writing a poem as “Painting with Words”. Visualizing a scene in your mind’s eye and then just describing it in words.
I like to use an oral process to capture what I write. Repeating the first line out loud or in my head and then adding on each line and continuing to repeat each line as other lines are added. I think it helps to make things sound right too – being said out loud. Another great process is to write new lyrics to songs you love.
Sorry about going “On and On and On” but you hit on a topic I love! If you really have an interest in learning to write poetry I cannot recommend highly enough the book – “Poemcrazy”!! You can find it on Amazon. Best thing I’ve ever seen on writing poetry – very useful, down to earth and it helps you “Get going”.
Have a blessed day!
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Thank you so much for taking time to comment. I started having a folder to put down some phrases. I could record thoughts on my phone. It’s interesting that you like sitting in the dark to get inspiration. I like to sit in an open air alone. In the poetry class, we read Bill Collins’s poem. One member read his Introduction to poetry, another member use that to write her own introduction to poetry. I bookmark a site to look up rhyming words. When I took a writing class, it was also recommended to make a list of future topics. When I was in the classroom, my students had a writing folders for the same purpose.
I copied your comment to put in my poetry folder!! Thank you so much for the chat. Don’t apologize, I love to hear from you. Yes, I’ll read the poems you mentioned! Have a wonderful weekend!!
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My pleasure, Charles.
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Yes! Powerful verses. Poetry is a beautiful way of ‘saving up memories’ – and leaving a legacy.
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Thank you so much! I totally agree with that. It has a special way of “Painting” memories that prose somehow lacks. Maybe its the memorable lines? Thanks again for following!!
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The road ahead is shorter Charles but it is much more comfortable to walk on. I enjoyed this piece and plenty to reflect on 🙂
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So glad you enjoyed it!! As always, a great point. And it is the only option we have. I liked the reflective feeling of comparing the past to now and the future too. It helps to appreciate where we are and the blessing of Today! Of course, it’s always better when your Beloved has joined you for “The Road Ahead”. Thanks for following.
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A pleasure Charles 🙂
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