You are the Professor of “LIFE 101”. What is the first lesson you would impart? Write it as a poem!
PROFESSOR WALT’S SYLLABUS:
LESSON ONE: WORK ON LOVE
We struggle to start,
with a passionate heart
and no idea how a plea of insanity
can render all of humanity smitten,
as if bitten by the love bug.
Any amorous slug would suffice,
and never look twice when the first glance
will cover any chance you have
to topple heart over heels.
You will know how it feels
when your mouth gets dry and try
as you might, you can’t fight the urge
as others delight in your plight.
Your hands will sweat, and you will get
tongue tied inside. You will quiver
and shake; make a fool of yourself.
Stutter, stammer and throw glamor out
the window, it is not pretty.
But anything worth while in life is
worth the effort. Make it!
Take it as it comes; accept a little shove.
And above all else, work on love.
Copyright © 2014 Walter J Wojtanik
POETIC BLOOMINGS 
Responses
Playtime
Work that’s fun
and working at play
makes for happy people.
Quite so.
True that
Yes…SO true, Viv…definitely a key to happy. 🙂
Your final line is the complete recipe for your pupils, Walt.
LIFE 101
Live life
as if each day
were the last you will live,
and when you find human kindness,
milk it.
copyright 2014, William Preston
Nice.
Nice
Nice sentiment, William.
SCRIPT
Make of life your own masterful play:
spread much love as you wend on your way
and, as part of the blend,
to yourself be a friend
when you come to the end of the day.
copyright 2014, William Preston
Nice script. Especially enjoyed the first two lines.
Agree with Benjamin.
Your last two lines, as are the rest, but these strike me as very important…we must learn to love self to properly love others…I believe. I enjoy your metaphor, William.
I like this — a limerick that at first reading was heard in hushed/quiet tones and not in the cadence of a limerick at all. I may have to try that someday. Using that form for a less-than-tawdry subject matter. Thanks. 🙂
‘will you be my guru, please, William?
Great start Walt! And great first lesson!
LESSON ONE: FIND GOD
Before it’s too late, before the last curtain call,
Find God, get to know Him, love Him, serve Him.
Now some will insist God does not exist,
That he is a figment fabricated by liars.
They allow their self-inflated intellects
To rant against an invented heaven and fires
Raging in the next world. “Don’t make me laugh,” they say.
“When we die, we’re simply food for the worms.
They’ll be no Judgment Day, no sins for which to pay.”
Instead of pride, they’d best practice humility,
Ask the God they don’t believe in to fill them with grace,
Show them the error of their ways, the futility
Of thinking no God created the seen and unseen.
They need to reconsider. We do not ever die.
We just transition into the spiritual serene.
Find God before that final breath, that last heartbeat.
Embrace the God our souls long for us to meet.
#
Well put; passion fairly leaps off the screen here.
MISPERCEPTIONS
Life is not as it seems
even though our hopes
are far reaching
Life is balanced
on a narrow beam
we must learn to
walk it
Life is not a cotton
candy floating dream
but full to the brim
with substance
Life exists
to fulfill God’s dream
only then
will be true happiness
Benjamin Thomas
“Life is not a cotton / candy floating dream” … Wonderful imagery, that.
I esp like the second stanza
Love the second and third stanzas, Benjamin.
Questions
Ask the questions.
Never fear
to ask and ask and ask
The tough ones
will keep you searching
for Truth.
Just ask and ask and ask.
Oh yes! I absolutely love this J. Lynn. Lessons are learned when you ASK questions. And I love how you left your poem open ended with more asking!
This recalls for me the old adage, “Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies.” I get the point, though, and agree. Thanks for this.
Good advice
And the fear of asking stops so many. Well said, Jlynn.
Life; Won on One
By David De Jong
Each breath a ribbon connecting the fray,
Life is a precious gift, you unwrap each day.
Taken nonchalant, so easily fake,
Never take for granted, the time you break.
Each kiss from your love that blossoms your heart.
Each touch, from a child that begs you to start.
The scent of the mountains, its pine perfume.
The laughter, the smiles that fill up a room.
Sounds of the meadow; the cricket and finch.
Love from Grandmother; given with a pinch.
Smell of the dog; shedding a summer’s swim.
Catching a rainbow; on a fly and whim.
Tiny sheets of memories soon forgot,
Hurrying through life, maintaining our spot.
Yet each sheet a page of our stories told,
Which will we release and which will we hold.
There will be a time when sorrow will flow,
When you desperately wonder; where did it go?
You ache for that love, you know, once was there.
Cry out in anguish to an empty chair.
Sifting the air; longing familiar clues,
Turning your pages of faded life’s hues.
Folding the corners to bookmark your place,
Stop and remember; it all comes – from grace.
Lovely as a song. In truth, this is a song. Beautifully done, in my opinion.
Stop and remember; it all comes – from grace… amen
Awe, David. This is lovely.
Beautifully written poem of truths, David.
Jesus said, Come to me.
Follow me.
Learn of me.
Come!
Oddly enough, I have a poem called this…(If I get a chance, I will write something more up-to-date, but for now, I think this fits the bill)
LIFE 101
I’ve often maintained it’s better
To beg forgiveness than request
Permission, but to try to live your life
With purpose and without regret
Be content with what you have …
If you’re always looking for more
It will eat you alive, consume you
Try, instead of collecting things
To collect memories and wonder
You will be the richer for this
I guarantee it …
I love the notion of collecting memories and wonder instead of stuff.
Yes!
Beautifully, said.
Ah, yes words of wisdom here. Its too easy to be all consumed with the fanaticism of “more” of things, rather than being content with what you have. I have found great peace in that regard.
Thanks!
Breathe
Learn to inhale
and exhale
freely
Be Alive!!
I love this little bitsize beauty! Its like a wisdom snack!
I particularly love the last line inciting to be alive!
🙂
This Is Your Time
This is your time
to decide which things
in life move your heart,
tickle your funny bone,
make you want to be part
of this world.
This is your time
to learn all you can
about yourself. Do not
put life on a shelf, thinking
it will stay put. Life moves
along like a song,
that eventually reaches
its last note.
This is your time
to live.
I think the sentiments here are timeless, and so well expressed.
Thanks so much, William.
“Life moves along like a song, that eventually reaches its last note.”
Too true – lovely
Thanks, Debi.
The beauty and the simplicity in this is moving, Sara…I like the way you set apart your last phrase…it makes it more powerful…well done.
Thanks, Hannah!
oooo…I really like this Sarah. Good write. Love the shelf analogy. Life definitely move along at it’s “own” pace.
NOW, HEAR THIS
When time is fleeing and your being brooks no seeing of your soul,
it’s best to pause and find the cause, or Santa Claus will bring you coal.
copyright 2014, William Preston
Are you stepping on my toes, William? It appears I will need to check my list more than twice!
The list might not be long enough.
Life 101
Share your toys
Keep your hands
To yourself
Forgive easily
Love passionately
Show others
And yourself
A little grace
No one is perfect
Everyone has a little
Crazy tucked inside
Whistle in the dark
Sing in the rain
Be gentle in the world.
There you go. This oozes kindness from every line.
Yes…perfect and I love the part about the “crazy tucked inside,” SO true. 🙂
Perfect advice. I particularly like, “everyone has little crazy tucked inside.”
[…] Creative Bloomings- PROMPT #171 – “LIFE AS YOU KNOW IT” […]
Tiny Truth (a tanka)
Heart holds in its home
shimmering-rainbow-silver –
it’s iridescent…
grain of sand changed by Nature,
pearl of honest-living shines.
Copyright © Hannah Gosselin 2014
For me, this conjures up the color spectrum you can see in a single grain, when the light is right. Just beautiful.
A truly Hannah perception!
Thank you Sara!! ♥
wow, very delightful read Hannah.
very soothing.
LESSON TWO: Principles for your Journey
Take
two grains
of salt
for your journey.
The first,
is for dealing
with untruths.
And the second,
is to preserve
the real McCoy.
Benjamin Thomas
Ah, very nice!
ORAL OOZE
A meaningful lesson
a person should learn
is avoiding transgression
through words that might burn.
By keeping the tongue
on an even keel,
no hatred is flung
when words aim to heal.
© Susan Schoeffield
I like it Susan. Words of wisdom here.
Love the title as well!
[…] for the 10/19/14 prompt at Creative Bloomings “Sunday Seed” to write a poem about one of life’s […]
LESSON THREE: BE A BLESSING
Keep love strong,
like an ox treading
out the grain
Let forgiveness
find it’s root,
and from bitterness abstain
Bountifully sow
and bountifully reap
within fertile fields
Turn thorn and thistle
into bounteous yields,
but with berry blossom grins
And may the rich
fervor of compassions,
burn you yet within
Be a blessing.
Benjamin Thomas
LESSON FOUR: COUNTERINSURGENCY
May “thank you”
frequent the lips,
like kisses exchanged
between chronic lovers
Arm yourself
with thankfulness,
and engage others
with much appreciation
Ponder with skill,
discerning the need,
sow the seed,
then gather the fruit
Benjamin Thomas
[…] Shared at Creative Bloomings for Prompt 171: Life As You Know It. […]
LIFE: 101
Mistakes I’ve made
have led me
to where I am today.
Don’t beat yourself up.
Pick yourself up.
Learn to find your way.
2014-10-30
P. Wanken
Written for Prompt 171: Life As You Know It
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