Memento Mori

thoughts upon life and it's meaning

Memento Mori

we are but shadows

flickering, on the screen of life

we are but ciphers

quickening, our purpose hidden

we are but dreams

whispering, upon our naked souls

we are but flesh

quivering, on the edge of oblivion

we are but death

a reckoning, on the scales of life

we are but human

a rippling, on the sands of time

Reviews

[Omikron]

I feel that you put all the thoughts I could not pin down into words in this poem. This is exactly how I feel, people tend to put themselves on a pedestal, not realizing that we share the same type of flesh, veins, blood as billions of others, we are fragments of a machine we don't understand.

Wow, I love this poem. Thanks for sharing.

// O

[alanwgraham]

Thanks for your kind review. Yes I think we are flickering shadows, not really knowing ourselves.read moreThanks for your kind review. Yes I think we are flickering shadows, not really knowing ourselves.
Regards,
Alan

[alanwgraham]

Sorry, not sure where that last bit came from!
What i did type was, Regards, Alan

[Omikron]

Haha, I will read more though!

Keep it coming.

// O

[Miss Sharon]

Wow! This is wonderfully written with an awesome message. I will be checking out more of your work as my time allows. ~Sharon

[alanwgraham]

Thank Sharon. This one just came from somewhere deep. God knows what is going on in my mind!
Regards,
Alan

[Miss Sharon]

LOL I hear ya bro!

[Ed Hart]

yes, very good...mostly, i think, we are like animated bricks, building tomorrow

[alanwgraham]

Thanks ed. Animated bricks is a great image.
Regards alan

[jacob erin-cilberto]

we are but human and yet immortal because of what we leave behind...even if we are that small ripple in the sands of time.
a small reckoning we are...so we need to take advantage of what we have.
nicely expressed...
j.

[alanwgraham]

Thanks Jacob.
I don't find writing poetry comes easily but now and again it seems to flow.read moreThanks Jacob.
I don't find writing poetry comes easily but now and again it seems to flow.
Regards,
Alan

[Tbear]

How i wish i was gifted with a remarkable memory ,for this poem would be memorized ..ready to be spoken to a willing listener.. then we would discuss the meaning over a hot beverage.. write on dear man..

[alanwgraham]

Thanks, yes. I realised that it does have this rhythm that begs to be spoken after i had written it.
Cheers,
Alan

[Tbear]

Dear Alan I have just posted a poem that you inspired.. My Moment From Your Moment

[Poetic License]

I found myself reading this again and again, not even realizing I was doing consciously doing so. It is so much more than the lines openly presented, there is something hidden, something niggling, something to be puzzle. A mantra? An important life lesson? Something deep and up welling, so much more than the proffered taste? I read it again and again and found new depth in the words with each reading. This poem was musical, lilting and hypnotic. A whisper of memory of some forgotten pagan prayer chanted beneath a silver moon. I found this poem absolutely magical. Thank you for sharing your gift.

[alanwgraham]

Thanks very much. Yes it is a mystery to me as well! I was travelling home in the bus when the first line came into my head and i just had to find some paper. I wrote the rest of it straight off without much conscious thought. To put this in context I am bipolar and every so often I get a bit high and the 'doors of perception' seem to open. It's hard to explain.
Regards
Alan

[Kathy Van Kurin]

alanwgraham,
Even the title gives the impact of how our lives are just a breath and even more precious. This gave me a place of thoughtfulness and pondering. Great poem.................................Blessings Kathy

[alanwgraham]

Thanks for your kind review Kathy. I haven't been able to write a poem for ages but I had to dash this down today coming home in the bus.
Cheers,
Alan

[M.E.Lyle]

It takes age to come to such understandings. Our lives come and go in the blinking of one's eye. We don't recognize this when we're young, but old age (me) tells us the truth. Life is short.
A wonderful piece here.

[alanwgraham]

Thanks for your kind review. This preserved to come out of nowhere but I believe our subconscious is working away and waiting for some trigger.
Regards,
Alan

[alanwgraham]

Sorry - what I did write was 'this poem seemed to come out of nowhere'