taking turns

lives i lost

at corners of divergence

could have gone anywhere

some might have danced

or smoked a lousy death

or got shot

because one fool met another

you are in this one

and look what your heart

has made of me

Reviews

[iand63]

I really enjoy the ambivelance in this. Love is ambivelant at heart; we are damned if we do and damned if we don't.

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

They say only fools fall in love, I say fools avoid love. There is no doubt once in love we change a bit, hopefully for the better.

[barleygirl]

I'm not sure I follow this entire message, but there are some parts that really sing for me. I love the first stanza, which makes me think of all the diverging paths I've run across in life, & since I'm usually on a path much less travelled, most of these experiences end up being about divergence. Then looking at stanza #2, this is the time in one's life (at my age, that is) where I'm looking at how all these diverging paths ended up . . . many of these folks are dead or dying, stuck or feeling like shooting their significant other, so I'm kinda glad our paths diverged after all, while I tried to stay true to inner peace. And then there's the 3rd stanza, which is a little outside the realm of what I'm experiencing in life or understanding at the moment . . .

[h d e rushin]

the fact is that the title of the character in every poem ever written is always the same.
the same hurt follows the same throbbing heart, follows the same beautiful garden,
follows the same burning village. It is, undoubtedly, the formula that makes every poem
universally drawn. In fact "heart", I would argue, is the universal metaphor for landscape,
or hard drive, or mirror, or winding road, with nearly a trillion synonyms.

I read this a few days ago and had to rest and contemplate my feelings, not yours...Which is selfishness...
I know...

you're amazing....dana

[Ed Hart]

for those of us who speak in tongues, this is lingua franca

[CD Campbell]

It's nice to see that one can be humble and satisfied with the life that fate gave them due to the benefit of being made whole by another. But Ed, getting shot and surviving a bullet would make one hell of a story. No regrets, right? Great work. CD

[Ed Hart]

i've been shot at, it that's worth any points...and then there's the escape from prison in Louisiana (circa 1961) which is always a good story, and yes, i'm satisfied, grateful even, the way things worked out...thanks for your good read, and your words have put a old smile on my face...

[m.s.early]

this is poignant and relative. the last stanza is cutting. i get it. well done, friend

[Ed Hart]

you give it well, so of course you get it well

[W.k.kortas]

Sometimes I think of IBM's Watson, and think that we are perhaps just a better class of artificial intelligence, a quicker collection of binary switches, and then I read your last paragraph and remember what a better class actually is all about.

[Ed Hart]

thank you Mr K, i'm having so many of your comments put on my line of sweatshirts as soon as they come out

[W.k.kortas]

I'm not gonna even ask for the vigorish on the gross profits.

[Ed Hart]

please accept my undying gratitude, vigorously

[iand63]

Grab your partner by the hand
Spin around and dosy dow
Turn that circle to a square
Accept your fate and leave it there

(Excerpt from "The Nihilist's Square Dance", reproduced with kind permission)

[Ed Hart]

you have a particular accent to things which marries well with a nihilist's square dance...i appreciate your atten-dance

[Cherrie Palmer]

The title made me think of my In-laws who had to take turns going to the doctor. Each caring for the other while the other recovered. You never know how your decisions affect another. We only get one life to live so live it well, the life you shake may be your own.

[Ed Hart]

and rattle and roll too...the 'turns' here are the ones that led me to her(e)...a story within a story within a story; but we've all got 'em...thanks for the company Cherrie

[. serah .]

-- you are her "portion of forever" (to quote you)... -- she is so magical and i love the way she accentuates the poet in you... -- she's subtle, classy and ever-loving... -- i'm so glad the two of you found each other... and blossomed in your togetherness...

[Ed Hart]

yes, my portion of forever...i thank the muse multiply for that one...thank you for your appreciation serah

[. serah .]

-- my privilege, Maestro Ed... :)