Same As It Ever Was

Things do not change; we change. - Thoreau

once

twice

thrice

growing troubles instead of rice

driving with headlights of loaded dice

leaning back on a headrest crawling with lice

why can't this life play nice

you can't kill time

only wound it

can't lie to the truth

even if you're uncouth

can't change into superman 

not even in a telephone booth

you can't keep what's inside of you hostage forever

can't cast a vote without pulling a greasy lever

if you're cut, you bleed

sometimes it's what we need

to this, i will concede

we can't question god

we were born knowing the answers inside

so what's the use

don't bother asking why

you can't live forever

not on the outside

no

no, you can't

so do as the water does

same as it ever was

Author's Note

"It takes two to speak the truth: one to speak, and another to hear." - Thoreau

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

I think the poet is making a spiritual point here: In the world you have tribulation. Though the poem seems a downer most of the time, two lines point to a way out: "You can't live forever/ not on the outside." In other words, you have to learn how to go inward. Let the world be the world. It doesn't have to define who you are.

[Pete]

just because the world is fallen & life has troubles doesn't mean we can't be who we were created to be. we can stand firm in faith and be who we are despite. nothing can be taken from us if we refuse to let it be (not the important things anyway). water flows and finds another way around and the sky always covers above. nature is stubborn and resilient as i think we should be as well. i appreciate your thoughts j the b. thank you for sharing ... :)

[Andrew Nelson Stewart]

The emotional feelings when time is speeded up or slowed down, but it is vastly different in important ways. In the line " can't change into superman
not even in a telephone booth
you can't keep what's inside of you hostage forever
can't cast a vote without pulling a greasy lever." Loved the mention of superman brings back memories. I heard once human psychological time could be compared in terms of environment to the walls of your living room, but in our case the walls would be constantly changing in color,size,height, depth, and width. Alan Watts said once " Man suffers only because he takes seriously what the Gods made for fun." Keep writing I've certainly enjoyed this fine poem.

[andrew mitchell]

Yes the world is in trouble and James Bond has died! Who will save us now? I like Chinese by Monty Python seems appropriate right now. Just to let everyone know if I reach 77 I won’t be running the country. Like the write and the song Pete.

[Pete]

lol. thanks andrew. maybe you could be president of the u.s. and save us - we don't even know how to choose one anymore. keep running like the water, that way you can't ever be caught. best regards in the land down under ... :)

[Nicole]

I was singing before I even opened this! I wonder what we would be doing with all the time we spend trying to change others. I’ve been more silent than ever lately. Which means I’ve been listening more. Most of what comes out of human’s mouths this week is rubbish, but we can only change our own hearts and even that takes time. So I’m here, quietly flowing like the water. Thank you for sharing xo

[Pete]

lol. i do a lot of listening too and i'm surprised that my ears haven't fallen off yet. seems like folks like to run their mouths about nothing (lets them know that they're alive or something) but not much is really worth listening to (that's why i prefer music). it does seem like things don't change but you're right - we can change and when we change our world changes.

“Life in us is like the water in a river.” - Thoreau

let it flow babe! ... :)