Survival is Our Quest, Happiness Our Decision
Where eagles fly,
life cowers in the shadow of its wings,
predator and prey in the dance of life,
within domains vast and mountains high,
lonely cries in endless sky,
vigilant and merciless the need to survive,
and yet none abides the moral codes
we humans abuse: no regret,
spilled blood just a reality check,
a step in life’s cycled flow.
The natural world takes not for gain
simply the sustaining of life,
kill never from malice, just the need
to ensure the propagation of each species,
in heritage of their lands and natural order,
offspring born to carry on
to live within the bounds of this world,
and in acceptance each soul knows
the perils of living,
the struggle of surviving.
Joy needs not a purpose,
for joy is the purpose, flight just an ability,
no more freedom that we in walking,
as life is the freedom of struggle,
of learning and adapting
to a world harsh in reproach,
a land with bounds and rules to follow,
and it is this opportunity that frees us
from stagnation and ignorance,
saves us from the lethargy of self-denial.
We all have place, have opportunity,
to abide life’s rules and prosper,
live in light or in shadow,
learning and surviving the best we can,
and it is never oppression or someone else
that quells our flow, just the limits we apply,
the beliefs that keep us down,
when we should be soaring like that eagle,
king of our domain
and within life’s order, find our destined path.
Joy is a decision to be,
nothing furnishes it for us or offers it as reward,
for all things are open to perspective,
and finding joy is just acknowledging what we have,
being thankful for it
and remaining happy, regardless,
for besides our aspirations in life,
it is the challenges and striving that gives us peace,
not any result of importance,
for being is the real gift we are given.
Tony DeLorger © 2018
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The joy of being is a gift all can have if the heart is open to the love of life and self. Great work, Tony. I love the reference to up where eagles fly. The eagle is majestic and flies higher than all other birds. It is where we fly when living in the “joy of being”. Take care my dear poet.
I agree with Phyllis that we must have a heart that is open to receive the love of life and self. I’ve aspired to live in the joy of being as well, but it’s not easy. I’ve struggled on the edges of both choices and have finally started to feel more balance in my life. Wonderful words and thoughts poetically expressed my friend. Kudos