Vanity

God offered me omnipotence

by giving me a chance to choose

I stood bold stance, and took that chance

to ever walk within his shoes

 

He then offered me five choices

Pleasure, Fame, Riches, Love, and Death

I will have won, when it's all done

so I thought as I caught my breath

 

Then so it was I chose Pleasure

with the thought to enjoy my youth

To run with boys, through all life's joys

happiness was my only truth

 

Pleasures that youth delights upon

were disappointing, then grew cold

Sun setting play, that every day

trickled my fingers through, like gold

 

So once again he came to me

"surely wisdom has found you now

Now choose your fate, it's not too late

as I said, this I will allow"

 

"Fame" I said as he smirked at me

I wish to be a man renowned

To play the game, that touts my name

as one deserving of the crown"

 

But Fame was a fickle master

that led to Envy, Greed and Lust

A shinning star and giant car

that in the end had turned to rust

 

Once more God offered me a choice

of the few things that still remain

"Besides your birth, there's one of worth

try using your heart, not your brain"

 

"Riches then" I did say to him

"surely they can cure all my pain

To do what I can as a man

by amassing what I may gain"

 

Wealth was not the answer I sought

left me with none of what I'd won

When in the end, I had no friend

to rejoice in what I had done

 

So one last time he gave me choice

"Love" I said is what I would like

"A woman's chest, where I may rest

perhaps even a little tyke"

 

The time it passed so quickly by

as I then sat beside her grave

A-wash in tears, for all those years

spent chasing dreams, that none could save

 

"My life has run it's course old man

your final choice is the worst yet"

"My love I lost, at such a cost

all that's left of me is regret"

 

He said "since you have not asked me

for advice on what you should do

I gave Death in a dying breath

to one more deserving than you"

 

" Why won't you grant me rest" I said

"what more is there for me to learn"

" That a life of greed serves no need

live with old age, till it's your turn"

Author's Note

It is always the bitterest of pills That which makes us look at ourselves for who we truly are. Not for the one we wished to be. Like many I am no stranger to vanity.LOL We do not deal much in facts when we are contemplating ourselves.
Life has taught me there are three ways we are perceived.
1. The way we see ourselves
2. The way others see us.
3. The way we truly are

Reviews

[Susan 🦋]

Omgoodness! So much here to contemplate!.. the overall theme is the endless "missed" opportunities granted to us in this lifetime!...and why must it take a lifetime for some of us to finally get it. For me your STAND OUT line is

" I gave Death in a dying breath
to one more deserving than you"
WOW, my take..Heaven, the ultimate reward.
BUT, there IS a hint of understanding....There is always hope when you rise each morning and face a new day! LOVE this!! A wonderful read!!! thank you very much! :-)

[Tate Morgan]

Susan thank you fir stopping by and commenting it's nice to meet you I am Tate

[Susan 🦋]

I really enjoyed this piece! Hope to read more soon.

[Tate Morgan]

Stop by any time I have been absent for some time from here. I go through spurts when i write and then i stop. I am recovering from one of those where I took time to let the well refill itself

[Honey-Bee]

Wonderful! A life of greed serves no need

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you I am probably the vainest character you will ever meet. It is the cross i bear and the thing I fight in my own character all the time I hate it

[SyberRose]

A lot of thought was given here Tate...profound and thought provoking for sure...lots to ponder...i guess i am vain haa or i would have my glasses on in that picture haa....mystery solved...yes she wears glasses...Rose

[Tate Morgan]

Well join the club vanity is second nature to me as well thanks

[wordwarrior]

Oh this is just amazing Tate!. I had to smile at all those choices that we all make and so many of us leave the best till last(love in my opinion)and have wasted a lifetime unable to enjoy it. With love, everything else falls into place like a domino effect. The fame comes from those we truly love and who love us. The wealth is love that fills the heart and soul, the riches are those who we connect with throughout life. All these things bring us unmeasurable joy. When death finally strikes, we know that life has been full and amazing.
Great poem. Loved it! Beautiful indeed

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you That one took a while to compose I had to live out most of it before i could write it

[TrimarcoRansome]

Perceptions of ourselves! As we grow ,we learn how we really are and how others see us, which often comes as a surprise as we see what we really portray ourselves to be. Vanity is a disgusting thing but one which we can all be guilty. The difference is, those who realise and those that do not!!

[Tate Morgan]

Well said an ever so true. It is the human condition to seek out friends who say the kindest things of us. It is not human to shun affection

[Renée]

I do believe this is my favorite that you have written Tate.. clear, crisp and deep ...

[Tate Morgan]

thank you Renee You are the one true of heart among us who knows herself well.

[Tate Morgan]

And no doubt one of the few who truly isn't vain like the rest of us. I tip my hat to you in deference to your unique character. i always try to over come my own vanity But it is a part of me and hard to hold down.

[Johanna]

wow! this poem is fantastic! I loved every part of it.. the message, the rhymes, "The time it passed so quickly by, as I then sat beside her grave, A-wash in tears, for all those years, spent chasing dreams, that none could save.." wow, simply genius. Going into my favorites! amazing job!

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Johanna I am so glad you liked it

[Ravyne Hawke]

An excellent poem, Tate. I think we chase too much in life, all the vanities, instead of being content with what we have been given.. if we would but sit still for a moment, here and now, love and peace would come to us divinely.

[Tate Morgan]

Thank you Lori i suppose we all learn the hard way

[K. D. Kromminga]

This reminds me of "Pilgrims Progress" in poetic form. Interesting perspective on the paths that we chose to take through life. I'm not sure however that there is a single road to take to each objective and if a path between love and one of the other roads, might not make that other road more worthwhile. Perhaps its the romantic in me that seeks to declare that love makes every road we travel better.

[ms. barrie]

this is an exquisitely profound poem, simply amazing write. stunning!