Happiness has its moments and can shower us with flair;
Dejection is brother to misery, all close relatives of despair.
Happiness reigns supreme as a true reflection of stilled waters;
Miseries and other woes only suffocate us in confined quarters.
We seem to be simply at the mercy of these two deadly extremes;
The one raises us up to Heaven, the other tears us apart at the seams.
Perhaps we can compromise by finding something in the middle,
Something that offers us a balance as people across the world fiddle.
I am tired of being a juggling act between the forces of two extremes;
At day’s end, between the highs and lows, I am reduced to smithereens.
Isn’t there a virtue that brings all of the other virtues back together
A virtue so comprehensive it can sustain itself through any weather.
Of all the virtues that can be found and adopted in life’s portfolio,
I prefer the virtue of detachment to withdraw from life’s rodeo.
Detachment levels the fever of the emotions from alpha to omega;
With nothing left to rant and rage about, I feel as penniless as a beggar.
With an attitude of detachment to life’s trials, I give you the reason why,
Individuals can protect themselves from forces of evil with a clear reply.
Think about it for a moment and you may concede that I have a point;
With no excessive emotions to spare, our hearts with peace we anoint.
Detachment balances the extremes between the forces of darkness and light;
It neutralizes all our fevers so we can withdraw from the fray with insight.
Detachment takes the sentiments of anger, jealousy and revenge by the throat;
You stand upon the shore of Heaven’s horizon ready to cast off in an open boat.
I will sing my praises of the virtue of detachment until my dying day;
By then, I will collect an assortment of other virtues with less to pay.
I leave it to those willing to fly into a rage to demand their rightful druthers;
I will throw all the extremes of the world in a dustbin to be salvaged by others.
The forces of hate, rage and discontent form shadows in the eye of resentment;
Happiness, peace and fulfillment shine in the light of the eye of detachment.
yes, there is a virtue which brings all of the other virtues back together, and its name is modesty. As to the virtue of detachment, eventually, it brings you to one scale, but virtue of modesty is the universal stuff so nicely rendered above. Cheers, alex
Yes, the middle road and detachment can keep one from the stress of ups and downs and the inherent failure within. But extreme detachment can lead to a lack of feeling for others and therefore never being fully immersed in a given emotion, even when necessary.
Interesting study, this poem. As one who believes that attachments are the root of most evil, most self-sabotage, most fear, I'm in accord with most of what you say. I also believe that to keep the inner self attached to the mind and heart is the ticket out of suffering.
Early Works is an exhaustive compilation of the first decade of the poems and stories of Z.B.McClure. Included are family photos, rare personal photos, photos of 1st draft manuscripts of many of his early poems. Also some biography and memoir materia
From the author of Jupiter Remembered and Until It’s Time: Embracing Life In Our Later Years comes Petals of Love: Poetry of a Woman’s Soul – a heartfelt collection spanning more than thirty-five years. Through tender reflections, these poems offer g
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Ron
Love ya!
Jane
Yes John, I firmly believe that there is, just that kind of virtue . . .
keep writing!!
m