In this article, I present my fully edited, final copy of this piece of poetry.
Now, I present, the final draft.
To learn more about me, Jack Lhasa, as a poet, a writer, an artist, a dream maker, a long shot taker, don’t stop reading after the poem. You’ll learn about me, my work over the last 30 years, and so much more. I’m I bit of a bind right now. It’s all talked about. A few more months then there’s a light at tunnel’s end, making it til then.. that’s a bit of the problem….
On Virtue, hopefully, far from lost
Survival is not a goal.
It's not a temporary condition.
Survival is the base.
Everything more is staking better.
If ever
survival should be seen
as a virtue,
we are in dire times indeed.
Oscar Wilde
once said that patience
was a virtue,
only in those with no other.
Survival is the same.
It's a strength, when
no other strength is
left with that could be named.
If we come to value
survival and patience
as worthy parts of life,
we are already doomed.
To be better.
That is the only
mandate laid
upon a child,
at the moment of birth.
It is far from
asking too much.
It is the duty of each human,
whether they live long,
or die short, to be better.
Better than what?
Better than those
who came before us.
those who dared not try.
There are so many content
to occupy that same rung.
The rung of their fathers.
Stagnation is the poison
Of root and tradition.
Tradition is the killer
of those who dared think.
It begs us, "Go Back."
back is not a choice.
only forward, may we march.
The desire to surpass,
to be better, to grow,
is never without
its merit and its
hardened times.
Yet growth is how
we break the ties,
fresh roots, all
our own. produce
first flower. So
much more than
survival. We
don't have to fall.
not roots, oh no.
but a vine now in bloom.
So it goes. As Billy Pilgrim would say.
so it goes.
I hope you’ve all enjoyed watching my process, or, at least the large steps of that process you can now read them in the order they were written.
I’ll created a note, and share it to a chattery or two.
https://substack.com/@mshirley36/note/c-223164321
I offer to teach poetry. To help make a child into a person who can cite odd verses in uncomfortable times. And make their own beautiful words, when they realize that all we have to pass on to the them is this; the very last form of nonphysical, nondigital expression.
The verse above, has not been edited. It is as it was as I typed it. I strongly recommend both my students as and my peers to never publish a first draft.
However, the fact that this rolled off my tongue, in that odd meter, is worthy of note.
I’d like to thank for providing the impetus for this piece, and also , for reminding me that the ability to create good verse was still within me.
If you enjoyed this, or would just like to make sure I can afford the internet in order to share the next miss, please donate.
Help Keep Jack Alive
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Coming soon!!
Lots of releases in the MoonShadow build, the return if weekly courses covering lots of stuff.
Courses consisting of one weekly email covering many subjects, and how to write about them.
- Consulting in afternoon hours. Listed below*.
- and much more, very soon!!
That’s my time!
I am Jack Lhasa
You are Amazing!
👊🏼👊🏼Solidarity👊🏼👊🏼
*Consulting is available in a large variety of subjects. For the rest of this week, I’m holding open office hours from 1pm to 5pm US Eastern time. Appointments range from 15min to 2hours, depending on topic and commitment.
This week, all openings are for 15min so as to introduce new clients to how teleconsulting works. I’m not bragging. Or puffing up my chest, here, but these things have in the past, filled up quickly, or nearly so. This warning is merely so some of my wonderful friends and peers don’t miss out
Poets: having any kind of trouble at all? Need a pro to review just before a reading? I am here to solve all your needs!!
Fiction & Prose: Consulting in larger projects takes more time and therefore costs more all of which would be reviewed during the first meeting. Consulting with an editor can take your manuscript from the editor’s trash to ready to sell.
I also offer to to do these things with you, side by side this can build self-esteem, confidence, and more.
Message me to schedule consultation.
