“It always comes down to just two choices. Get busy living, or get busy dying.” Stephen King in Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption
When did our thinking turn to likeness of
a whetstone used to sharpen wordblades?
When did diplomacy turn to battlegrounds?
When did we cease to praise a compromise?
Was it when essays were abridged to tweets?
We seek out comfort digging trenches
shellshocked in his gilded wasteland,
we pretend that there is hope in winning
jackpot with only one remaining quarter.
Are we earthworms waiting to be bait?
But still we can get busy living, and let
casinos crumble. Plow; Plant seeds and tend
your saplings. Turn your back to fights
and hatred cause in the eyes of strangers
burns a fear that’s just the same as yours.
Artwork by Otto Dix
Magaly asks us to write a three stanza poem using a quote from the last book we read at toads. I read Shawshank Redemption this summer, and really liked it. A good book to pick quotes from. I will also link to Poetry Pantry tomorrow.
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January 14, 2016
Björn Rudbergs writings 
So timely, your wise words. When did we lose it all (or most of it), indeed? Will we be good enough, brave enough, clearheaded enough to recover it all? I hope so. I really do.
Excellent sentiments.
Are we earthworms waiting to be bait?
A horrible fate, Bjorn. Best spend that last quarter more wisely.
..
Let us not be earthworms!
You asked most pertinent questions in an eloquent way. It makes me believe all is not lost.
“In the eyes of strangers burns a fear that’s just the same as yours” Indeed.
Turn your back to fights
and hatred cause in the eyes of strangers
burns a fear that’s just the same as yours….wise words Bjorn. Much needed in these times.
Love the last sentence especially as I feel so much rings true in it.
Turn your back to fights
and hatred cause in the eyes of strangers
burns a fear that’s just the same as yours.
This sums it up so vividly .. with all the tension that’s going around. Beautifully expressed.
This is such a powerful poem, Björn, especially the war imagery in the lines:
‘We seek out comfort digging trenches
shellshocked in his gilded wasteland,’
Maybe this over-hasty, unequivocal, black-and-white tyranny we’ve entered is all a metaphor for “get busy dying.” Saplings take time, and like poems they grow slowly in the dark. Amen.
Indeed – which is why we should get busy living
I love the quote – and i love how every word is part of the life of the poem
‘a whetstone used to sharpen wordblades’ ~ great line Bjorn and great write. And as poets we have such an ideal platform in this world to turn the eyes from hate.
Planting seeds and tending saplings seems a wise and healing approach to weathering global events.
“Was it when essays were abridged to tweets.” … Ha ha. This line made me chuckle.
That is one of my favorite movies, by the way. I never did read the book.
The book was actually very good too. Only Steven King I’ve ever read.
“…cause in the eyes of strangers
burns a fear that’s just the same as yours.”
Indeed, Earth is a global village and everyone’s involved
much love…
I love this. I’m still turning over rocks. I just saw an excellent movie last night on War reconciliation, The Railway Man with Colin Firth. Excellent!
A good reminder that in spite of our differences, we share commonalities that can tie us together in our humanity.
“…Turn your back to fights
and hatred. Cause’ in the eyes of strangers
burns a fear, that’s just the same as yours.”
Brilliant lines, in my opinion.
ZQ
I like what you did…and it is based on such a “true” quote! A brilliant poem!
I love the advice to nurture the things we care about and not give in to hate. You are right; fear is often times at the bottom of hate.
Brilliant – I am clapping….maybe only certain casino’s need to crumble
when essays were abridged to tweets…..
scrumptious
I have to confess that there are some people I wish would get busy dying. Wrong of me, I suppose, but true.
You’ve articulated a kind of “grass roots” philosophy about how to proceed through life. Nothing terribly esoteric or complicated here – a plain and simple ‘think-piece’ … which (by virtual of its simplicity) is powerful and compelling. I liked this a lot!
Really like the quote and you used it very well, especially in your final verse.
Elizabeth
When did our thinking turn to likeness of
a whetstone used to sharpen wordblades?
Was it when essays were abridged to tweets?
Suddenly it seemed all can be shortened where meaning can just be understood at the expense of good writing. It’s a pity!
Hank
Powerful inspiration quote. What you did with it is such an important part of what’s going on now. Favorite part: “a whetstone used to sharpen wordblades?”
I totally agree! Have a great week!
The quote you chose for your poem is one of my favourites. I often say it to myself when things look dark. In spite of it all I always choose to “get busy living” “Plant seeds and tend your saplings” Yes indeed 🙂
Yes we have certainly lost sight of so many things in this world of instant gratification, and we seem to think less about the important things; concentrating on the trivial.
Nice writing. 🙂
Very timely piece.
Great quote, to which your poem does justice. The final verse is particularly powerful.
I love the quote you chose and the reference to tweets taking the place of essay.. the world is to fast .. we go to bed in one world awake to another daily.. no diplomacy.. and we just get busy …living or dying…bkm
I’m not at all religious, but there’s something to Ecclesiastes, and to the Hindu concept of the great wheel. – observations, one might suppose, that we just keep repeating the same, stupid mistakes, we mostly hairless apes. ~
Despite the extraordinary events at the top of nations, this is all people truly want–the ability to keep the routine going. For some of us whose routine is to match the swords of words, being reduced to tweets still seems impossible. When did it happen? I still want more. To find a way to continue to live in the Trump era that is not akin to dying is an intervening goal. Brilliantly expressed here.
Oddly appropriate for our upcoming presidential inauguration. Sadly.
‘When did our thinking turn to likeness of
a whetstone used to sharpen wordblades?’
This is brilliant writing, Bjorn. We better get busy living. It is all very sad. That book was good, as was the movie.