Perhaps the problem is that we too easily recognize the cards and fall victim to their inherent curse, chance. Personally, I think "shoots and ladders" is more fun and probably a more accurate metaphor for my life. M.True

Somehow I can't relate your poem to your statement about so much violent death. In nature's hierarchy, most death is violent. It's a natural part of the food chain when an entity becomes too old to function strongly, it is most often, violently consumed, either by something higher up on the food chain, or gradually from some minute parasite chewing at the edges of existence.

I think we can all go out knowing that we did the best we could do and didn't understand everything, but accept what happened to us as part of the normal course of events. Spiritualists would say that it was, "preordained." I would prefer to say that it was just part of the survival crapshoot we call life.

Ron

A skimming response. Everyone, Odin, plays their game poorly at one time or another. Some people never live their lives effectively. Still... Nature is a formidable teacher and effectively answers many of humanity's philosophical, and spiritual, questions, and also shows us much about our Creator IF we have eyes to see it. There's a reason why the roots of (most) trees and flora are in the ground and generally hidden from view. Notwithstanding erosion, which can uncover roots, and which in and of itself is a fine spiritual metaphor, real life and haleness (or, as you posit, integrity) is not something we can conjure, intellectualize, or wish into existence. It comes from a place we cannot see. Before we can ever really "exhale our selfness" we have to fully acknowledge the true source of spiritual and physical haleness.
Because...

In mans creation nothing is at it seems, and
striving is only whimsy. What we wish to
accept as true, WE CREATE, and freely embellish
as classic oils enthrall the eyes, doing so as perfect storms
inundate the shorelines and realign the garden in
rhombus rights
to craft the illusion that
just maybe we are notable, or notorious enough,
to be a front-runner in a superficial world going mad

Integrity? Something that has all but vanished, it seems, in a modern world

Your excellent graphics are always as good as your poems.

That right there is potent food for thought ...Scary but compelling.
Rx