Tuesday, November 16, 2010

The Two Sides of Regret




It is a broken window that has two different views
looking out it is a distant ocean that we can never swim
and looking in it is an endless beach with sand that lingers
forever in the shoes upon our feet

It is a jagged tree that has only two branches
the one we grasp tightly afraid of the fall if we let go
and the other we can only gaze at for it is far beyond our reach

It is a torn map with just one chartered road that leads two ways
to the east it is a place we wish we could forget
and to the west it is a trip to a aged loved one we never took
that we shall always grieve

34 comments:

  1. Duality rocks. Nice piece, Carrie!

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  2. I like the duality too! well written and the imagery is great!
    thank you

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  3. A beautifully crafted and thought provoking poem. It definitely causes me to reflect on the dualities you presented in each stanza.

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  4. beautiful imagery in this carrie
    loved...with sand that lingers
    forever in the shoes upon our feet...this is great and i loved how you balanced this out

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  5. Great poem! love all the little details

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  6. Clever multiple-meaning imagery/theme-tight ideas. Good work. :)

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  7. don't ya love it when it all comes together?

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  8. Thanks for this poem in three parables. A lot to think about.

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  9. love it - especially "It is a jagged tree that has only two branches"...really a nice write..one of my favorites of yours Carrie...you never fail to surprise with something that is thought provoking....bkm

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  10. this was wonderful...the evoked emotions, the images brought to my mind...i loved every word.

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  11. just popping in from Oneshot. Regret doesn't take you anywhere, but I suppose that is what you are alluding to. hmm

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  12. so ominous. i like it, carrie. and have u updated the look of this blog? it seems there is new stuff up. i especially love the dickenson quote. ;)

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  13. Lovely imagery, Carrie!

    I just realised, we both love Hugo.

    http://ninotazizpurplemusings.blogspot.com/2010/10/madly-in-love-with-victor-hugo.html

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  14. oh my... I know these places, these pieces... so wonderfully displayed here...

    very touching piece.

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  15. I love the map - the roads going East and West - How often do we sit at the junction looking in either direction recognizing the choices that were made.
    Wonderful poem.

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  16. always grieve, but still make the best of the one chosen I hope.

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  17. Well written!Makes one comprehend!

    Regret...something I try not to do.Either way regret doesn't make you win.Sad reality!

    Mind provoking one shot!

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  18. I like your Victor Hugo quote. Great writer!

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  19. Dear Carrie

    I enjoyed the two views... and I liked both.. as Robert Frost said.. took the road less traveled. I liked it so much. Thanks for sharing..

    ॐ नमः शिवाय
    Om Namah Shivaya
    Twitter: @VerseEveryDay
    Blog: http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com

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  20. What a beautifully constructed poem! It lingers.
    I try to live without regrets but still, there are always those paths not taken that smile from unreachable distances.

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  21. Hi Carrie, this is quite thought provoking with great imagery. Love the first verse and ending!

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  22. Thank you one and all for your wonderful observations and comments...sorry i am so slow to responding or reading your blogs....i have been extra busy at work this week, and am lagging behind....hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! :-)

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  23. Carrie,
    I love your comparisons here.
    Beautiful.
    Pamela

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  24. Beautifully written poem, Carrie. Depth in each stanza!

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  25. I love the dichotomy here Carrie...life asks us to choose every day in so many ways...you've presented the quandry well in your imagery. The last two lines are especially poignant...wonderful!

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  26. Carrie, this is a beautifully philosophical poem, rich with layers. I love the two views, two branches, road leading two ways. And love the last line about the road leading to an aged loved one one regrets not taking. Really really beautiful. Touches the heart.

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  27. Carrie, just a wonderful poem of choices. This makes me want to read it over and again to absorb its lesson...

    Rick

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  28. this was a beautiful read...pete

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  29. I enjoy your poetry tremendously. It really touches me and the images. Could you tell me what kind of template you use? I love the simplicity of it. I feel mine is too "busy" looking and crowded. Thanks. Sal

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"Our best thoughts come from others." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson