Thursday, November 10, 2005

Reminiscence

Okay, I'm always embarassed to admit that I actually write poetry--I fear it damages my manly image... Anyway, I wrote this the other night, in reference to Robbie Oyler in particular, but to suicide in general. Don't worry, I'm not suicidal, just melancholy lately. Richard Cory is a character from 1890-1897 created by Edwin Arlington Robinson. You can read his poem here.
Reminiscence

Richard Cory was my friend
and all of us in love with him
were smitten on the third week's end:
he flew away like dust in wind.

Eyes that spoke of peace denied
and emptiness where hope should hide
and grace alone could not abide
the many, many nights he died.

Curse the year and curse the day
of birth and snakes and Adam's way
and all who look behind and say,
"What if?" "Why me?" or, "Let us pray."

Tears were made to bless the eye;
prayer was made to bless the sky.
Weep and sing and laugh and cry--
it's appointed unto man to die.

Despair's the price of Eden's pride
or if a sovereign Will presides,
pain's as deep as blame is wide,
reminiscing suicide....

(c) Steve Pruitt 2005
11-9-2005
12:58 am

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nature's first green is gold,
her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

- Robert Frost

So true for this life. Even the best things will fade. For Rob it was hope that could'nt stay. Eden did sink to grief an dawn does go down to day, But only here, only here! Our hope is everlasting...Rob's hope is everlasting.
I miss him too.

Hankinstien said...

One of the great things about working with you is that you understand these feelings. Many pastors don't "get" depression, and so they push it away without knowing how to handle it, or worse, they think of it as a horrible sin... but you know exactly what it feels like, and I appreciate that. I probably have more to say on this, but not that I want to say as a comment here...