This is not a poem about regret

By jennifer

Tue, 06 Mar 2012
  • 4118 reads
11 comments
 

This is not a poem about regret (13th July, 2011 – 6th March, 2012)

This is not a poem about regret –
this is just a note to myself,
in case I should be foolish and forget
to keep my chin up. This is how:

there’s never the right way and the wrong,
only the right fork and the left;
there’s only ever choices to be made,
never a mistake or success;

with all the advice that we might seek
from both our family and our friends,
there’s only ever our own perspective
to light the road we tread or mend;

of the adventures that we might have,
there’s never cause to be afraid;
we only need to set aside our doubts
and always be a bit more brave.

I wasted all the time we once had
worrying you’d leave; now I’m glad,
for this not a list of my held doubts –
just a celebration of self.

In the end, it’s a small space we fill
between conception and our death –
don’t waste love on undeserved ills,
and most of all, don’t have regrets.

Jennifer Pickup

Certificate U
Poem
Saints and Sinners (2012)
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
This is such a positive poem, Jennifer and the second stanza for me, says it all:- "there’s never the right way and the wrong, only the right fork and the left; there’s only ever choices to be made, never a mistake or success;" Much enjoyed;-) T x

 

Submitted by Anvar2 on
Very nice poem, with great thought and sentiment behind it. I was a bit confused by the rhyme scheme that kept changing throughout the poem - I think that the AbAc rhyme scheme from the first stanza might work really well as the main scheme for the whole thing. Thanks for sharing!

Submitted by maisie on
hi Jennifer pickup a plenty :) for me i loved the last stanza the mostest you pulled it all together beautifully both in form and in sentiment :) best wishes

maisie angel Guess what?  I'm still alive!

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on
the others are right - this is a wonderful message

 

Submitted by animan on
Indeed - it has some really nice thoughts. Cheered me up hugely. I think I'll print it off and stick it on a kitchen cupboard door to remind me to be a bit more hopeful and less hopeless and generally mopey and crap.

 

Submitted by jennifer on
Thank you to all of you for your wonderful comments! I've been really ill and my doctor told me yesterday that half of recovery is positive thinking, but I beat him to the punch last week with this poem, I think! Anvar2 - the rhyme scheme - the second and fourth lines are supposed to rhyme - the fact that the first and third often do is coincidental and because I naturally write in quite a rhymey way! The penultimate stanza alters the rhythm on purpose and is supposed to jar because the stanza is about the past and the regrets, whereas the rest of the poem is about combatting those negative feelings. It may not work for you, but that was the theory, anyway! Tina, Blessing - you have picked up on my favourite moments - you know that feeling when you write 'the perfect line' or 'a great stanza' and you just think - 'yes, I AM a poet'! (the rest of the time involves a great deal of sighing and hair-tearing over the laptop, trying to get the rest of the poem to work!) Animan - I would be honoured to be on your kitchen cupboard - possibly the best compliment I have ever received! Thank you x J x

 

Submitted by animan on
Actually, I didn't in the end, as I felt that, for me at least, I wanted something that went further, that accepted a sense of wrongness. To apologise to the other is to claim the moral low ground perhaps, but it can release one from catatonia, particularly if they don't respond to that personal acceptance of responsibility. Just my experience.

 

Submitted by scratch on
I read this when it was first posted and have been back a couple of times since. Super effort Jennie.

 

Submitted by beaste on
i like ur poem jennifer, it has a nice rhythm to it and puts a nice prospective on life: '...it’s a small space we fill between conception and our death ...and most of all, don’t have regrets' nice one jennifer=-) -beatrice

Bea :-)

Submitted by hudsonmoon on
I loved the opening of this poem. Life affirming. I enjoyed very much. I have to get over to the poetry section more often. Rich

 

Submitted by Linda Wigzell Cress on
Hi Jennifer, just 'surfing' today and saw your name randomly. This poem said a lot to me, deceptively simple with a pleasant rhythm and a strong message, which I shall keep as my 'thought for the day'. Linda

Linda