Monday, December 31, 2012

A Fool and a Cigarette

image by R.A.D. Stainforth

The Mag #149

"I tell you the past is a bucket of ashes."
 ~Carl Sandburg, "Prairie," Complete Poems, 1950



When we are 16 we smoke all our tomorrows
like cheap cigarettes and strawberry hill wine
at an endless hangout at the corner store...

yet when we are old we smoke all our yesterdays
like one fine cigar and rare expensive wine
at a place we wish we had gone and can no longer afford.




"Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forward." ~Soren Kierkegaard



Wishing Tess and everyone at The Mag a wonderful and Happy New Year!








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20 comments:

  1. Optimistic ExistentialistDecember 31, 2012 at 7:20 AM

    I love it Carrie. Have a Happy New Year :)

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  2. HelenDecember 31, 2012 at 7:57 AM

    Nice to grow older, wiser. Happy New Year, Carrie!!!!

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  3. Brian MillerDecember 31, 2012 at 8:28 AM

    oh dang....the bit on smoking our yesterdays....and places we can not go any longer....true...

    happy new year carrie...

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  4. ninotazizDecember 31, 2012 at 9:45 AM

    Happy New Year, Carrie and all the best in the New Year!

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  5. LynDecember 31, 2012 at 10:47 AM

    So full of truth and definitely quotable..read it more than once...the best..Happy New Year!

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  6. C.M. JacksonDecember 31, 2012 at 10:55 AM

    so true...thank you and happy new year!!

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  7. BerowneDecember 31, 2012 at 1:22 PM

    Always a pleasure to read you, Carrie. Bonne Annee'!

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  8. Other MaryDecember 31, 2012 at 3:26 PM

    Oh, this is so wise. Happy New Year Carrie - all the best to you in 2013!

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  9. kaykualaDecember 31, 2012 at 5:05 PM

    Certainly good to reflect of what goodness we've had! Done it, missed a little along the way but remained unscathed. Nicely Carrie and Happy New Year to you!

    Hank

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  10. Yvonne OsborneDecember 31, 2012 at 5:23 PM

    Beautiful! And the quote fits so nicely. Happy New Year!

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  11. Wayne PitchkoDecember 31, 2012 at 9:52 PM

    nicelyh done Carrie....thanks for sharing and Happy NY

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  12. Kerry O'ConnorDecember 31, 2012 at 10:58 PM

    Excellent analogies, both of them. Such truth so well expressed.

    All the best for 2013, Carrie.

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  13. AM ZafaranDecember 31, 2012 at 10:59 PM

    Youthful,carefree cigarette and cheap wine drunk without any thought, changing into costly cigar, wine as time passes...Wow! It is very beautifully expressed!

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  14. JinksyJanuary 1, 2013 at 10:25 AM

    Good thinking, blogpal...

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  15. Kathe W.January 1, 2013 at 10:36 AM

    Carrie- excellent and thoughtful words
    Happy New Year!

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  16. EllaJanuary 1, 2013 at 12:56 PM

    Hello Carrie
    My Dad always thought this is the way life should be lived...
    Happy New Year to you n' yours! Cheers to your view and hope 2013 brings you much happiness! ATB

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  17. Eileen T O'Neill .....January 1, 2013 at 4:39 PM

    Carrie,

    Such very meaningful images...Life as many find it...

    All good wishes to you Carrie for the New Year.
    Best Wishes, Eileen:)

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  18. Theresa MilsteinJanuary 2, 2013 at 2:48 PM

    Quotes and poem work so well together. And it's so true. Happy New Year!

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  19. signed...bkmJanuary 2, 2013 at 7:29 PM

    Love this Carrie...your poem and quotes..great words to reflect on the past and move into the new year...many blessings..bkm

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  20. Silent Otto January 3, 2013 at 6:36 AM

    Sixteen is such an interesting number , anything is possible.

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

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