ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

THE JOUST

The man I've become is not who I once was,
nor whom I will finally be.
The forces at work are beyond my control,
dictating my true destiny.
What I once believed I no longer believe,
the things I once thought now benign.
The rite of the passage from boyhood to man
is shaped by the passage of time.
The slings and the arrows projected my way,
the loves that were won and were lost.
The plans that I made and the actions waylaid,
decisions based on a coin tossed.
It's now that I come to this social impasse -
the need to reflect and express.
Thoughts and emotions now weighing me down
I need to both face and address.
Forgive me for airing my sadness and grief
through poetry's meter and rhyme.
It gives me a platform from which I can vent
cocooned in my own space and time.
So if I should comment on worldly events,
or should I just pontificate,
expressing such views that you cannot abide
I ask that you choose not to hate.
But reflect if you will on your journey through life
And how your opinions have changed
The why's and the wherefore's of what you believe,
The factors that shaped and arranged
the thoughts and ideas you hold dear to your heart
beliefs you uphold to the end
The steadfast conviction that I now apply
In order my thoughts to defend.
Debate me, my friend, I will welcome your views
Though be they not in tune with mine
Let's verbally joust with both fervour and zeal
Then celebrate over a wine.

Copyright (c) Allan Cropper May 2015

I love that Allan. Life certainly is a journey we can't predict. We take a road, we make a decision or meet someone new and our destiny changes. A lot of it is about taking chances, taking risks, accepting challenges. How many times do you hear someone say they wish they had their time again? I wonder if we would all make the same decisions if we had a second go at it? I wouldn't. Life's just one big adventure really.

Heather

Heather - I couldn't agree more.

At 56 I am about to re-marry, retire from a career as a public servant, and relocate my family to Albury / Wodonga, an area neither of us has so much as visited.

One big adventure, really!

Of course, what is poetry for ? It would have to be Hunter Valley wine.

Allan I've had a few adventures in the past 4 years - not a grand scale mind you, but things that have challenged me personally. I always tell people, "Just do it." You can always change your mind or turn around and nothing, but nothing is forever, except death (I had to say that or Neville would have). A friend of mine has just done what she calls "Doing a Heather" and last week she left her job in Victoria and moved to Townsville to be with a new fella, start a new life and have an adventure. I hope it works out or I'm in a whole heap of trouble!

I am sure everything will work out for the best....although, I woman giving up everything to case after a man...I don't know!!!

I admire your spirit and love of adventure, Heather. Life is to be lived.

It was either move or commute once a month from Melbourne to Townsville. (Army). She can always come back.

Life is to be experienced. Right now I am experiencing mountain mist and the most exquisite autumn colours way more beautiful than I ever thought possible. I wake up every day and think "wow, this is so beautiful."

It must be lovely to look out at the colours of Autumn. All I get to see at the moment is bricks and mortar - rows and rows of it

Great poem Allan, and so true. Decisions and choices made along the way, opinions, healthy debates, the realization that not everything is simply black and white but there are many shades of grey - it's all in there. Apart from some fundamental beliefs and morals, we all change our thoughts and ideas on many things over time, and every single one of us is on a journey of discovery. Hopefully we never stop learning, and rising to new challenges and adventures!

I could not agree more, Catherine.

We grow, we listen, we debate, we mellow - all part of a life journey

Allan