The Conquest (poem) by E D Phillips on AuthorsDen

The Conquest
by E D Phillips → (All Poetry by E D Phillips)
Thursday, January 19, 2017 Rated "G" by the Author.

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[image: la mia ombra]

The Conquest It’s been ugly and confusing Relentless and bemusing But it was all meant just for me; And so I reached only for the parts That needed changing or new starts And left the rest for others more or less like me… Starry nights were my personal reverie They were all that they could be; I needed only to fill in the blanks Before I could give thanks For this gift of life that was Handed to me… Oh I kicked and I hollered Did not want to be collared And dropped into a lifeless neutrality; Another domino that fell Lifeless as could be While the world passed me by En route to its destiny… Uncaring and undaunted I was jabbed and I was taunted Still I plunged into the sea; Not knowing I had chosen A course that was purposefully frozen And put there just for me… A thousand battles perhaps more I lost them all Even went to war No heroics there for me; With no praise no thanks or sharing No trumpets triumphantly blaring No accolades for me. And now my days are few What’s new is old What’s old is new What can be said now about me? Only this… He came he saw He conquered nothing at all Except himself-- But what a fight it was to see.
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Reviewed by Rebecca McKeehan

Reviewed on January 26, 2017

Well done! It has been said in countless belief systems that the ultimate battle is with oneself. "He came, he saw, he conquered nothing at all, except himself." Exavtly what wr arr meant to do!

Rebecca

Reviewed by Isabella Koldras

Reviewed on January 21, 2017

"He who conquers others is strong. He who conquers himself is mighty." - Lao Tzu

Reviewed by Ronald Hull

The unexamined life isn't worth living. Nicely revealed.

Ron

Reviewed by Charles Neff

Reviewed on January 20, 2017

That's a brave statement, Ed. But, peel away achievement from most of us and usually what's left seems unremarkable. Even the famous are just as often the beneficiaries of someone else's unintended consequences. Poetry reflects something basic (to be more specific is to rob it of its power). Your last lines could be: he affirmed the most basic of all, himself and, a gift for us to see YOu can clean up the meter!).
Charlie

Reviewed by Jane Noponen Perinacci

Outstanding!! Imagine your life on film along with inside struggles and goals being visible as well. Excellent!

Love ya!

Jane

Reviewed by Jerry Bolton

Finally coming to terms with ourselves is sometimes a needed contradiction with how we have dealt with life.

Reviewed by J. Roseline

I can see you only as a very young ma.,i am sure that you will always be...in your heart and soul.. best of luck to you, Roseline

Reviewed by John Herlihy

Reviewed on January 19, 2017

If indeed a person can conquer him/herself, what a great achievement that is. The poem have a very specific cadence that works well and sets the right tone. Very driving and forward moving, like life. John