Life and Death
Let’s talk about life and death
and everything in between
First, we are born, naked and helpless.
We grow, we learn, we watch,
until we can stand on our own.
Become independent,
experience life and everything in it.
Explore our own country and the world,
even if just on the Internet.
Choose a partner, maybe marry,
start our own family.
And so the cycle begins again.
Enjoy new challenges as we age,
Try to maintain our health,
play with our grandchildren.
But then, inevitably, we die.
Our bodies crumble and cease to exist,
but who knows what happens to our soul?
Perhaps we go to Heaven as some believe,
or are reincarnated.
Maybe we just exist in a netherworld
to watch over our loved ones left behind,
and try to guide them in some way.
But then the cycle begins again
through our descendants.
Let’s hope they learn from our mistakes
and from history in general,
so they can make the right decisions
for our fellow man and our environment,
and make the world a better place.
Life we are given,
We do some livin’.
We make mistakes,
We are forgiven.
But whatever it takes,
The real and the fakes,
As long as we’re driven,
A good life it makes.
by John Hansen © 2018
Now I find myself branching out and experimenting with short fiction, and thoroughly enjoying this, especially flash fiction.
I have been fortunate to have two poems made into songs and recorded. The first "On the Road to Kingdom Come" by Al Wordlaw, and the second, "If I Could Write a Love Poem" by award-winning Israeli/British singer Tally Koren.
My services increasingly in demand as a freelance writer and I have ghost-written the text for a number of children's books and educational tutorials.
It has taken me many years of searching and restlessness to realise that my life's passion is to write. It saddens me that I wasted so many years not devoting to that, but thinking positively, the experiences gained over those years are now wonderful material for my stories and poems.
I want to try to bring a new focus on poetry and try to make it appealing to a new generation of young people and those who thought they never liked or understood it before.
- The First Word – A Flash Fiction Story - January 18, 2024
- Dawns Song ~ and Twilight Serenade - December 1, 2023
- Weave Me a Story - June 15, 2023
Reflections of life from cradle to grave and beyond – such a nicely penned verse, John. It is good to remember that we can and should leave a legacy to our descendants and you express this very well. I like this poem and enjoyed it very much.
Thank you Phyllis. Life and death are something we can all relate to. I am glad you enjoyed this, and thanks for your kind comment.
A very well written synopsis, John, of what we all experience How we live, and to a point how we die, is in our hands to control. Your picture at the end is amazing, as is the chronicle of life!
Thank you, Donald. I greatly appreciate your kind comment.
It all sounds so short ehen succinctly written. I do believe we live on, have many lives of learning: some of which I remember. Enjoyed John.
Yeah, Tony, and with every year older I get the shorter it all seems. I hope you are right about having more than one life. Thanks.
So many ways people perceive death and the afterlife. John you’ve done a great job at trying to understand the essence of life to the grave. Nice work my friend. Im a non-practicing catholic so i believe in heaven and hell. Choose wisely though. Lol.
Thank you, Paul. It is something almost everyone contemplates in one way or another. No matter what we believe, while we are here on Earth, we should do our best to be a good person and be caring to our fellow man, animals, and the environment.