A Eulogy for Humanity

For every writer who dreams for a better world, and every reader who imagines it.

A Eulogy for Humanity

By

Carlos Lorenzo Estrada

(An Epilogue)

I remember in their lips I saw; the words left unspoken in final moments 

In the glint of their last light they spoke these unsaid words to me

Let us open our eyes; not just to see, but feel.

And when we breathe we should do so not just to live but to dream

Let us grow old with wisdom, yet retain youth with our curiosity 

To understand our fallibilities, but strive to be boundless in optimism

Let our compassion to be better; outweigh our selfishness to be petty

For it is easier to hate than make the sacrifices that are required of love

Let us refrain from ignorance for it is a barrier toward our higher aspirations 

And to deny these things in which we believe; is to never live the life we yearn

Let us never lose insight on the virtues that define human empathy

For what fills the void within that loss will be the worst of our cynical vices.

For not all tears are sorrow, nor smiles for joy

The end of a journey is both celebration and bittersweet

Never forget the brevity of life and the finite of each sunrise seen

When you are alive it is hope; when you are dead it is legacy

Author's Note

Thank you kindly for taking the time to read this short piece of writing. I feel it is filled with wisdom and insight many of us have heard before in some form or another. We do not know the hour of our passing, but intuitively acknowledge its constant presence within our living moments. What I take comfort in now as a writer is the fact that we all see the same sunrise
and weave from dream this thing called art.

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

Powerful and worthwhile thoughts shared my friend.
"Never forget the brevity of life and the finite of each sunrise seen
When you are alive it is hope; when you are dead it is legacy"
The above lines Carlos. We must do and thank you for sharing the outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you CP for leaving your thoughts on this poem. It is greatly appreciated. The line you quoted is definitely one of my favorites in all my writing. Because it speaks to purpose. The thing that we control in this erratic life we live. We writers are strong advocates for the messages we seek to convey in our work because they define our philosophy. Our hopes. And it is mine that I hope anyone reading this poem will choose to live the last line. Thank you again my friend and fellow poet.

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome, Carlos.

[Cherrie Palmer]

Wonderful. Wisdom and sincerity is always timeless and needed.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Cherrie for your kind comment on this poem. These wisdoms are a variation of the many said in the past by others, especially during times of loss and remembrance. It is often helpful as well as hopeful to hear a reminder of an aphorism that we innately know to be true. In times of grief we often forget that our most treasured emotion is empathy for others not just ourselves. Hope is the prism that often reflects our greater nature. It will always lead us to love. Thank you again. Your thoughts are truly appreciated.

[Neville]

thoughtfully enjoyed from beginning to end ................ Neville

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Neville for the comment on this piece. It was written during my recent bout with covid. Strung together remembering the impact of death throughout my life and the many wakes and funerals I attended in my 57 years of life. The wise words spoken at that time, both said and unsaid. Thank you again for taking the time to read and share your thoughts my friend.

[Fay Slimm]

Such appeal in this heartfelt poem about how to use our senses and feel more alive to others' needs - to cut through time left and take all measures of care and respect and see empathy widen. A truly inspiring read and thank you for sharing real art Carlos.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you Fay for sharing your kind thoughts on this poem. It was a labor of love written with the hope it may provide some much needed wisdom during this most difficult of times. Much of it speaking from the many variations of aphorisms in the past. Profound truths and sayings that ask us to reflect upon our better nature. I was reminded of the many eulogies and wakes I attended in my 57 years of life. And how many recite good intentions and wisdoms to loved ones during difficult times of loss. I'm so very appreciative to all who have taken the time to read these words for I feel they are timeless in seeking to instill hope in every heart. Thank you so much again for commenting on this piece.

[Miss Sharon]

WOW! This entire write is filled with so much wisdom it is astounding. I especially felt drawn to these lines...(Let our compassion to be better; outweigh our selfishness to be petty For it is easier to hate than make the sacrifices that are required of love) Indeed my friend. ~Sharon

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you so much for your kind review, Sharon. Many of the wisdoms presented in this piece have been said so many times before in different variations. I feel the reason why they continue to resonate so much even now is that they define the core values of our humanity. We as living creatures know these words to be true innately. In essence they need not be said because they are always felt within our souls. They are the embodiments of virtue, grace, ethics, and love. In these most difficult of times as we search through the miasma of our worst instincts as a society I wanted to provide a reminder of the importance of our fight for truth, integrity, honesty, and hope. I feel these words were never mine as a writer because they are the hallmark of what inspires our better human nature. We see it in the eyes of great men and women who show these values to us in their bravery against oppression and deciet. Those strong enough to say no more hate. Even if its cost is their own life. The eulogy is written for them, so that they will never be forgotten. Thank you again I really appreciate your thoughts shared on this work.

[Soren]

Carlos this is the first 100 rating that I have given. Although many of these pieces of wisdom come from various sources your expression of them took them straight to heart, which is what poetry is to do. I have not marked this as a favorite poem, instead I have bookmarked it on my computer to review regularly. Brilliantly written.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

You are much too kind Soren and I am touched truly by your comment. I wrote this in a way as remembrance of my father's death a few years back, as well as a new born baby I saw laying dead in an incubator at a local hospital I once worked. The first two lines are my reminisce of those events. The remainder is just as you said. They came from pieces of eulogies spoken from funerals and wakes I had attended in my 57 years of life. I felt it vital to write these words now as a reminder of why we are moved to our art. For we know the value of words, especially those left unsaid. The poetry that you, I, and everyone else in our community create will bind us to our legacy. They will be here long after we are gone. The world will know us by them. I take this opportunity as a gift to share. Even if it is just a single person. To know they may see beauty or profound wisdom in what I have said and left behind has deep meaning to me. We can't always express enough the hopes within our hearts for a better world. We can only share our dream in thoughts that they may find commonality in others who in turn move them forward. To the writer hope always begins with one word at a time. Thank you so very much again for your touching thoughts on this small poem that resonates with big hopes.

[Perdition]

Every stanza is a wonderful dissertation on the passion within humanity and in living, we could be here for hours discussing, especially the one on " human empathy"... now that one had me thinking which is the very meaning and purpose of poetry, well done and perhaps something to carry around in the pocket. Thank you for the inspiration!

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you so very much for sharing your insightful comments on this piece. So much went into this poem. A full life's journey in all honesty. My father's death inspired the first two lines. As well as the death of a new born baby I unfortunately beheld at a local hospital where I once worked. The rest are pieces of spoken eulogies I half remember through out my life from wakes and funerals attended. We are at our most human during our end. The covers of vanity and selfishness fall away and without shame reveal our grace. We writers know the prescient value of unspoken words. We choose many times to never let things go unsaid. The art you yourself write defines this mantra with its truthfulness. It is my hope to those who read this piece that they remember the true value of why we are moved towards our art. It truly is a legacy born of love. Thank you so much again. I truly appreciate it.

[Perdition]

A sincere pleasure and my deepest sorrow for your loss. A wonderful tribute that you were able to take your loss and, as all writers try by some innate madness, as we do with every experience, be it a loss, a cloud, or a blade to the soul, we take our experiences and carry them back to the mold, then we suffer the hours till eventually, we turn our overpowering call into something of truth or beauty or hopefully both. Very inspiring as most definitely touching and insightful. An honest pleasure Carlos. Thank you for sharing this again with all of us~

[Montag]

This poem has a stately cadence that fits well with its timeless themes. It leaves the reader in peace and in hope.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you so much my friend for sharing your thoughts on this poem. These have been difficult times to live in to say the least. I felt I needed a reminder on why we are moved towards our art. Especially during such challenging years as we have had recently. The kind that questions our civility and morality as a nation. We must constantly remind ourselves that we are better than this. That unity and diversity are not just ideas but a social mantra that define our greater humanity as a nation. I feel in my middle age now I do not want to leave this world with words unsaid. I want people to know what I stood for and by. Just as you do in the art you submit here. In the end these words are all I have left to give. As well as the hope behind them. Thank you again my friend.

[Dara]

Love, love this write. It is just what is needed today to dispel the feelings of despair and emptiness wrought by a world filled with conflict and lack of caring. Thank you for sharing your words of wisdom.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this poem with me. I really appreciate it. I am in total agreement with you. We do need to hear more empathetic wisdom during these difficult days we find ourselves in. For it is easier to lose sight of the important things in life when we hear and see nothing but pessimistic and cynical rhetoric that consume our current times. In my late 50's now and have seen and been to many eulogies for loved one's that the wise words spoken at many of them have taken root in my thoughts. It is strange that even in my advancing age I think I still have an eternity to go when it's not so much the case. I need to appreciate more the moments I'm given. To not be silent and leave words unsaid. For they may speak of a more profound truth needed to be told and heard. The first two lines of this poem is in reference to my father's death. As I held his had I could see in his waning days there were things he wanted to say but couldn't find the strength to say them. But his eyes told me all I needed to know. Thank you Dara on your kind comment. I truly appreciate it. For this was a difficult write to share due to its personal origins.

[lightsong]

"ever forget the brevity of life and the finite of each sunrise seen
When you are alive it is hope; when you are dead it is legacy"

To close your masterpiece with these lines wrap us completely with gentleness , wistfulness and soft tears. I feel You through your poem my friend, it's not only about the wisdom and kindness of a human, but yes your tears here are felt, your yearning, your sadness and ache for a better world...to witness all these brutality around the world and yet still keep the dream alive need strong and beautiful heart, and yours certainly is. From a sister to her brother in humanity Thank You for writing and sharing this with honesty and openness. Bless You, and sending You so much Love and Light~

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you lightsong for these much needed words that I needed to hear. Every time we poets believe there are no more tears left within to shed for this world we find ourselves still weeping. To the artist creativity is a vulnerable endeavor for it reflects our naked souls in the art that springs forth from us. I remember as a child looking up into the star filled night with hopeful eyes. I'm older now and yet still look at those same stars many years later with the same hope. It is also reflected in much of the art here in our community that is shared from one writer to the next. I may not know your face, but I know your amazing heart in the poetry you share with us. Thank again for your kind comment.

[lightsong]

You, We can't lose hope my dear Carlos no matter what. life means hope and faith, love and light, You are more than welcome and please do take care of yourself and beautiful heart there, I shared enough photos of my face here for my friend to meet, I removed them recent;y for some reason, it's nice to meet face to face... maybe I will share something later:> Bright Blessings*