Sic Transit Gloria

Cherry

By D G Moody

Tue, 09 Jan 2024
  • 913 reads
13 comments
 

All the legends of my youth are long gone.

The musicians, the actors, and the comics;

With their assured grace of irresponsibility,

And their easy laughter without any regrets.

 

My life was then lit like a moth to their flame,

becoming easily consumed in their fame;

Those priests of pleasure with their pleasure

Spent upon the idle altar of their amusement.

 

Carelessly, we kicked the sun into the moon,

As the nights became pups to our dog days.

But youth shall have its end – as all too soon,

the sun ate the day – and swallowed the moon.

 

All things pass away they cannot stay,

and what is gone is now lost in the past.

So, friends it’s no longer weed and guitars,

Only a beer and a deckchair on the grass.

 

© D G Moody 2024

 

 

Certificate U
Poem
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Interesting as one can cast a sweeping glance at the whole of life and how some things were deceptive. Some gained from experiences and the need for responsibility, and the proper place of relaxation, some have become jaded and cynical sadly, missing so much fulfilment and usefulness and happiness, and the love of God. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by D G Moody on

Thanks Rhiannon. Yes, looking back I can see how naive we all were - my friends and I, but then I guess it is age and experience that provides some wisdom.

Dougie Moody

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

A well balanced and thoughtful IP response, thank you Dougie. This IP is having some really good results!

 

Submitted by D G Moody on

Thank you Claudine. I had this one from some time back, and decided to revise it, and it seemed to go okay with the IP, which I'll follow in future.

Dougie Moody

Submitted by Penny4athought on

The melodic verses are reminiscent of a song; I can almost hear the guitars and drum beat behind the words- But is it a lament to how it was, or homage to youthful arrogance? As in all backward glances there are blurred and sharp images; some will bring remembered joy, other’s embarrassing regret but even when you try to put it all together, it’s abstract; you'lll see something different every time you look at it. I especially loved this passage (a perfect description of burning up the daysmiley)

Carelessly, we kicked the sun into the moon,

As the nights became pups to our dog days.

But youth shall have its end – as all too soon,

the sun ate the day – and swallowed the moon.

 

Penny4athought

Submitted by D G Moody on

Thank you so much, for your comments, which I thought summed up much of what I was tryring to convey. The exptression "The night is but a pup" was one an old freind used in my youth - much misspent!

Dougie Moody

Submitted by marandina on

"Carelessly, we kicked the sun into the moon,

As the nights became pups to our dog days."

That third stanza is wonderful. There's a reflective, pensive, passing of time feel about the whole thing. The last couple of lines resonate with me, in particular.

 

Skilfully done, Dougie.

 

Submitted by D G Moody on

Thanks Paul; and yes, and wern't we all callow in our youth, and with hadn't been we'd have nothing to look back on.

Dougie Moody

Submitted by D G Moody on

My thanks for the Cherry; and also, has anyone - and sure some will have - spotted who the band were?

Dougie Moody

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Dougie,

definitly one of my favourite bands of the 60s. The Cream.

Your memories evoke a time of either embracing the past, or feeling a tinge of shade. I myself have wonderful memories of the past, especially with it's bygone times of great music and good friends.

From one who is a proud baby boomer. I enjoyed reading your poem.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by D G Moody on

Nice one Jenny. I know this will make me sound like our parents in the 60's and 70's but...... Well, don't you find popular music now to be very 'generic', as in all sounding very similar (outside of folk of course). I think it's due to it being produced for watching and how it's marketed, resulting in a bland uniformity. 

Dougie Moody

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi again Dougie,

I'm inclined to agree with you. The 60s and 70s produced so many legends of music,. To me they would be hard to compete with today. I suppose in the end it's what you're brought up with. I can't remember the last time I bought a vinyl record, or a cd, but I'm quite happy with the anthology I've collected since the early 60s.

I too love folk music and was a great fan of Steeleye Span and Pentangle back in the day. I saw Steeleye Span live along with Lindisfarne and Mott The Hoople, at what was then Top Rank in Bristol England, it was a legendary performance by Lindisfarne when they played Fog On The Tyne, everyone sang along.

I agree that much music today has to be accompanied by a video. Technology is okay in small doses...like being able to get information, or having somewhere to write, but otherwise for me it's all too much and very sad.

Anyway thanks for the chat. smiley

Jenny.

 

Submitted by D G Moody on

Lindisfarne - one of my all time favorite bands; they toured Australia with Slade....Yes!!! It must of been the early seventies. I got in to see Lindisfarne, but left before Slade - I wasn't a fan of theirs.

Dougie Moody