I Can't

We are as much as we see. Faith is sight and knowledge. The hands only serve the eyes.” - Thoreau

what can i write that's never been read

learn what lies on the other side without first being dead

you can't love without feeling

or pray without kneeling

let alone meet michelangelo without looking up at his ceiling

where there is candlelight there is melted wax

likewise where there's government there's tax

and where there's thunder, there's lightning

knowledge always accompanies that which is enlightening

stepping out of a boat to walk on water can be frightening

you can't sing without using your throat

thoreau couldn't have written what he wrote

not without living in a cabin at walden pond remote

some say, "shouldn't" and other's, "shant"

"takeback" or "recant"

that which is uphill is also said to have a slant

to give is to grant

i may not sing like bocelli or paint like rembrandt

but that doesn't mean that you can't

Author's Note

“The cost of a thing is the amount of what I will call life which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.” - Thoreau

Reviews

[Sami Khalil]

Wow! I love the wisdom and rhyme scheme in this worthy poem; so glad you ventured to mention all these famous people in one scoop.
I feel lots of things in life that I can't do; but I come to the realization we are all limited, might not be in our destiny and or we live in the wrong time and places.

[Pete]

i often feel that i was meant for earlier, simpler times. thank you for sharing ... :)

[Sami Khalil]

Hence my theory; you are welcome brother Pete.

[Chris Shaw]

I look at these famous people and wonder what they thought on the day they started. I’m sure they had no idea they would reach the summit. Takes enthusiasm and dedication. Nothing ventured, nothing gained comes to mind. Pleased I stopped by Pete. A first class write.

Chris

[Pete]

as the old saying goes, "it is darkest before the dawn". not an easy thing to stay the course. seasons greetings chris. poured rain all night and all day today with strong winds. my river must be running quite high ... :)

[Chris Shaw]

Hi Pete , greetings to you too. We have had our fair share of rain too. River’s running high here. No shortage of water. A shortage of tolerance yes. Plenty of that abounds in the UK. Take good care of you. Happy Christmas.