Seeker Magazine - June 2004

"Nicky" and "Sidewalk Observation"

by Bob Papscy


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Nicky

Nicky gave me the impression
that complications in her life
could lead to failure, tension,
and unwanted strife.
She is not dull. Her depression
seems only to be temporary,
a passing session
of doubt and fear, contrary
to her commitment
to her life's goals
which to some are heaven sent.
But are they? Treacherous shoals
await those who believe that
life is all about success,
defined by goals reached at
journey's end. Efforts in excess
are like the law of diminishing
returns. The harder you try
siphons the energy for finishing
your lifetime journey. Roads dry
and dusty are no fun to travel
on. And thats the whole "jazz"
of life. The goals might unravel
but that's okay because as
you "jam" you improvise the tune.
Interact with all those souls
around you. Don't ruin
the music as it rolls
out of your heart.
The journey is life's joy.
Goals you had at the start
are just a quickening ploy,
as your destination's irrelevant
and beyond your control.
Choose your notes.Don't recant
your life's role
because "they" don't like the tune.
"They" don't have a say
anyway. Howl at the moon!
It's your your time. It's your day.

Sidewalk Observation

There were several rows
of pansies planted between
the sidewalk and the hedges.
In the middle of the row, the
plants were robust and
healthy. At the end of the
front row the ground was
hard and unrelenting. The
one who tilled that soil did
not till that bit of ground as
he got lazy towards the end.
The last pansy planted was
blooming bravely in hard
scrabble soil. I know its
just one little flower among
many but all life is connected
and my heart went out to that
little flower struggling to
survive. It saddened me to
see her plight. I was "achey"
inside, feeling the way that
I did when I got a panic
attack. What would it have
taken to break up that six
square inches of soil? She
continued to define herself.
Even being seperated from
her kin did not discourage
her efforts. She was half the
size of her siblings, diminutive
in her purple and canary
yellow beauty. In spite of being
exposed and not cuddled by
her brothers and sisters,
lacking adequate food and
drink, she stubbornly survived
with grace and courage, a
testament to nature and the
life force.If in the future, some
person calls me a pansy, I
will answer,"Yes,and proud of it."


Copyright 2004 by Bob Papscy (No reproduction without express permission from the author)


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Letter to the Author: Bob Papscy