The Cynic

The Cynic

A Poem by Sally Hope
"

We are who we are.

"

gandalf-the-lord-of-the-rings-17685.jpg

THE CYNIC

The timeless traveler was a scrawny old man,

With a pipe blowing rings, and a wizard’s hat.

He sat on a bench, his skinny legs crossed -

A face like stone, and a heart of frost.

 

The little boy was young - just a mortal human,

With his eyes all red and swollen from tears.

A heavy heart within, and a brave face without,

He came and sat beside the man all feared.

 

The traveler looked o’er with a raised eyebrow.

“You seem sad,” remarked he in a drawling voice.

“I’m tired of life, and of this mean, cruel world,”

Cried the disheartened, lonely boy.

 

“Life is tiring, and the world is cruel -

The faster you learn it, the better,”

The old man said with a gleeful smirk,

And revealed an ancient letter.

 

“What on earth is that?” mused the puzzled boy,

As he watched the yellowed letter unfold.

“This,” replied the traveler with pride in his voice,

“Is the ancient knowledge of the wise and old.”

 

The boy was sceptical. He pouted and asked:

“What does your letter say about me?”

The old man smiled. “It says you’re just a boy -

Making mistakes, and learning to live.”

 

The boy blinked hard. The letter knows me?

Wondered he with a dawning joy.

“Does it say if I get to be happy?”

The boy asked with a hopeful voice.

 

The traveler scoffed. “Happiness! Ha!”

He shook his head with a resigned sigh.

“Happiness is an illusion, boy:

A cold trail we follow till we die.”

 

The boy’s eyes widened. “No…” he whispered.

“I have been happy in my life.”

The man shook his head. “You have not been happy;

You’ve just been less sad in your time.”

 

The boy refused to believe. “You are wrong.

We can be happy in all of our lives.”

The man raised both brows. “Boy, are you saying,

You truly believe in an afterlife?”

 

The boy shrugged. “Why should not we believe?

It gives us hope, and a reason to love.

After we’re gone, the remnants of our soul

Merges with that of the universe.”

 

The timeless traveler laughed out loud.

“You, naïve and young - inexperienced you!

The universe has far better tasks in hand,

Than care about what we mortals do.

 

“When we die, it is the end,

Of everything we ever thought or knew.

You see, boy, this giant universe

Is so much more than me or you.”

 

The boy blinked tears. “What about love?

Does your letter call it a waste of time?”

The traveler smiled. “Love is a mystery;

It is a sickness that affects our minds.

 

“It makes us think we are happy;

The euphoria is a dangerous drug.

Flawed and distrust and hatred,

Are a few other names for your love.”

 

The boy could hold his tears no longer.

“Is there any good in this world?”

The old man shrugged, and got to his feet.

“Ask that to someone you can trust.”

 

“But, whom to trust?!” the little boy asked.

“How would I know?” the man countered.

“I trust nobody, nor nobody trusts me,

And that’s the way it should always be.”

 

The boy watched the traveler walk away,

With dismay coloring his teary eyes.

When, suddenly, the old man stopped and turned,

His mouth set in a defiant line.

 

“Take this letter,” he told the boy,

And handed o’er the ancient page.

“It will help you when you feel

The world is a mean and cruel cage.”

 

When the traveler was gone, the boy unfolded the letter;

A smile touched his tear-stained face.

As he stared with awe at the thing in his hands:

A blank, unblemished, empty page.


*  *  *








 

© 2015 Sally Hope


Author's Note

Sally Hope
These are the opinions of me and my best friend (guess, who's the cynic?). I thought this was a bit long, at first, but I simply couldn't trim it down. Hope you enjoy it. Suggestions would be most welcome.

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Featured Review

Well, You had me with the first two lines... You grab the reader quickly here and I think this works well.
Honestly, you probably should give this poetry a little make over by working in a set meter and cleaning up a few spots of weak rhyme. This could read like a bards song and really have flow and energy pushing all the way through it and beyond. It is worth an hours work because it is very good.

In my life, my son is the cynic and I am the hopeful one, crying a tear for is heart and not my own: for I know where I am and where I will be... Yet he is in possession of youth and his page is mostly blank, with many lines to be yet written. This poem touched a cord because of this tie to my own world. Thank you for sharing your gift here.

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Sally Hope

7 Years Ago

I really don't know how I skipped over this review. It makes me feel so, so humbled that you compare.. read more



Reviews

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Jex
This is really good, it reminds me of percy jackson in a way. Like a child getting ready to go on quest but had to get insight on how cruel the world is before him. Also about how happiness is a cold trail we follow, was one of my favorite lines and really made me thing about how as humans all we ever do is try to be happy. Keep up the good work

Posted 7 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Sally Hope

7 Years Ago

Thanks so much for reviewing my work, Jex. Your comparison of Percy Jackson made me smile. Anything .. read more
Well, You had me with the first two lines... You grab the reader quickly here and I think this works well.
Honestly, you probably should give this poetry a little make over by working in a set meter and cleaning up a few spots of weak rhyme. This could read like a bards song and really have flow and energy pushing all the way through it and beyond. It is worth an hours work because it is very good.

In my life, my son is the cynic and I am the hopeful one, crying a tear for is heart and not my own: for I know where I am and where I will be... Yet he is in possession of youth and his page is mostly blank, with many lines to be yet written. This poem touched a cord because of this tie to my own world. Thank you for sharing your gift here.

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Sally Hope

7 Years Ago

I really don't know how I skipped over this review. It makes me feel so, so humbled that you compare.. read more
Wow... this is really something special. A life lesson inside a bedtime story with a magical imaginative ending all rolled into one
Beautifully written, not too long at all. Poetic perfection!
Thank you for sharing !
bill

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Sally Hope

7 Years Ago

I'm going over the reviews after an entire year (I know, I should be obliterated for my indolence), .. read more
A very nice piece that I like a great deal. There was so much in this piece. Well Done.

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Sally Hope

8 Years Ago

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this, Willard. It means a lot.
This reminds me of a Dr. Seuss story, which may be any order of compliment or flaw depending on your goal. Usually, however, the writer does not get to determine what their poetry means. The exceptions to this being when the author has made a blatant statement one way or the writing is so obvious it leads every reader to the same meaning.

The meter is steady and the rhyme is predictable (again you could take this either way).

The picture of Gandalf before the poem both detracts and adds to the writing... if that makes sense. It misleads the reader by implying that the cynical old man is Gandalf (and it could be) and this poem is connected directly to the world of Tolkien (which it could be), but ultimately the poem has nothing to do with this. Gandalf is merely a wise old "wizard" and so is the cynic, the leap is nearly meaningless but it does add a depth of wisdom to the character you could not have written so easily.

One thing that really bothers me about writers (and what I often say divides the amateurs from the dedicated writers) is the inclusion of a copyright mark. Generally a site such as WC has a built in copyright protection clause that all members agree to, making the inclusion of a copyright mark superfluous (Writers Cafe includes an automatic copyright mark on the bottom left of every submission). On a deeper level though, it often gives the impression that the writer is either paranoid or gives an unrealistic value to their writing (or both). Sadly writers cannot assign value to their own work, that is the work of readers.

Good formatting though. I don't see that a lot on Writers Cafe.

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Sally Hope

8 Years Ago

My intention was to create two characters, and make them talk with each other - their opinions, thei.. read more
I think you had honest fun when you worked this one out... strange how the mind does that isn't it? Any "work" is the length it needs to be - when you're finished and finely satisfied.

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Sally Hope

8 Years Ago

Firstly, that will be "Hallows", not "Hollows". J.K.Rowling has yet to publish a book named "The Dea.. read more
Chris

8 Years Ago

Well corrected and gently said.
Sally Hope

8 Years Ago

I am a very GENTLE PERSON AT HEART! *Meditating*
It is a great story, with a really unexpected ending. nice job. :)

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Sally Hope

8 Years Ago

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I'm glad you liked it :)
Dani The Unreviewed

8 Years Ago

No prob. :)
Wow! This is beautiful! Touched me so much!
Long but totally worth it.

This world could be a maze!
Both the characters, who you say are not at all fictional but indeed you and your friend, are exceptionally smart to exchange such worldly wisdom!

Loved this piece!

PS: I guess you are the Cynic! :)

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Sally Hope

8 Years Ago

Thank you so much, Jyoti! I'm glad that you liked it. And, yeah, you've guessed correctly :D
Jyoti_Ablaze

8 Years Ago

You are welcome.
But to put Dumbledore's picture is a great idea!
I thought this was an excellent story, the pursuit of happiness is a difficult task in this world when once you have that you desired, then another more shiny thing jumps up and begs you to follow it, so we go ever on until we see through such illusion, maybe then we see the blank page, great work, bravo my friend :)

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Sally Hope

8 Years Ago

I'm so glad that you liked it. The pursuit of happiness is indeed an illusion, and a blank page is w.. read more
Fabulous work, testament that no matter what perceptions of the world we may have, our futures are our own to write. I loved reading this, it's a very creative and well written piece. Thank you for this x

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Sally Hope

8 Years Ago

Thanks, BlaqkShadow :) It really means a lot that you took the time to read this.

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Added on November 3, 2015
Last Updated on November 18, 2015
Tags: philosophy, perceptions, child, hope, poetry, depression

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Sally Hope
Sally Hope

The City of Joy



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"I have come to seek a Great Perhaps." PS: I'm catching up on my read-requests. Please consider my paramount indolence. more..

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