On the Precipice

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On the Precipice

Toes peeking over, eyes cast away.
I do not want to look today.
Time enough when time is over.
It’s true I’ve ceased to be a rover,
for though I’ve seen the Nile’s beginning,
I can feel my chances thinning
for ever standing at its end.
I’m feeling too close to the bend
to chance the risks travel might take.
I’m living less for living’s sake.

My house and garden fill my world,
increasingly. My life is curled
fast on itself more frequently.
“Becoming” has turned into “be.”
It is not giving up on life
so much as drawing back from strife.
Surely, now’s the time for this,
as I approach that big abyss.

Those of faith are sure they know
the glorious ending to this show
we’ve seen via nature’s invitation;
and yet the minister’s oration
you must admit, is speculation.
That’s why as I stand toe-to-air,
I have no need to see what’s there.
Whatever’s written far below,
it’s where at last, we all will go.

The prompt word today was “precipice.”

26 thoughts on “On the Precipice”

      1. calmkate's avatarcalmkate

        I have just expressed very similar feelings on Garfield Hugs blog site within the last 24 hours … guess there is many of us especially amongst those who have already traveled extensively.

        Liked by 1 person

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  6. Madelyn Griffith-Haynie, MCC, SCAC's avatarMadelyn Griffith-Haynie, MCC, SCAC

    Wonderful poem – strongly resonating with where I am in my own life at this point. Although I would still like travel, third-act financial concerns make it unlikely I will see the Nile, however, beginning or end, lol.

    I always enjoy your posts – which I generally find through the Senior Salon (as today). Now that I am following, I’ll catch them more often.
    xx,
    mgh
    (Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
    ADD/EFD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
    “It takes a village to transform a world!”

    Liked by 1 person

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            2. Madelyn Griffith-Haynie, MCC, SCAC's avatarMadelyn Griffith-Haynie, MCC, SCAC

              Isn’t it amazing how, even when the work is basically good, we see things later that we missed in the moment, no matter how carefully we proof or how many times we edit?

              I even go back to edit blog posts sometimes (and not JUST because new science mandates it)
              xx,
              mgh

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            4. Madelyn Griffith-Haynie, MCC, SCAC's avatarMadelyn Griffith-Haynie, MCC, SCAC

              None of us are perfect? Since TWELVE people missed it, maybe few of your readers will catch it either, but I know it makes you shudder.

              Those homonyms are what make English such a bear for people who did not grow up as native speakers (and all editors -lol).
              xx,
              mgh

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            5. lifelessons's avatarlifelessons Post author

              Now that self-publishing is fast upon us, it is especially a problem, but one of my editors was a professional media editor in the past and was a stickler who caught about 12 errors in the book even after everyone else had edited it. But, even she didn’t get the “mantle/mantel” error. i don’t know what made me check it. “Mantel” doesn’t even look correct, but in fact what looked right wasn’t. Ok. Promise. No more ravings on this matter. All’s well that ends well.

              Liked by 1 person

            6. Madelyn Griffith-Haynie, MCC, SCAC's avatarMadelyn Griffith-Haynie, MCC, SCAC

              We could probably go on about editing snafus for hours. One more and then I’ll quit too.

              My very worst was when, on the way to an important ADD Conference where I was a speaker, I proudly showed my new brochures to a colleague traveling on the same plane.

              She caught immediately what four of us (and spellcheck!) had missed: the name of my COMPANY was misspelled!

              The ‘Optimal Functioning’ Institute™ was, of course, the correct spelling, and there was NO way I could use those brochures without being the laughing stock of the conference.

              I felt shot at and missed as I dumped the lot into the trashcan on landing. It made for a funny ADD explanation when asked why no brochures, but at least they weren’t being passed around!
              xx,
              mgh

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