The Fear Of Living Poem by Seamus O' Brian
The Fear Of Living
We glut our living into the moments of every day;
The footfalls of our scurried existence
Pounding out the years one after the other
All the while chin over our shoulders peering
Wide-eyed behind in the terror that leaches the life
Out of every minute we spend fleeing
The shadow of death.
Through summers and winters we scramble
Harried and breathless, we pant away our yesterdays
Grasping and lunging for every tomorrow
Desperately trying to stay one pace away
From the leisured procession of death.
And, finally, we arrive, broken and empty,
Depleted and exhausted at the very doorstep
Of the one thing from which we spent
Our entire lives fleeing.
But I─
I do not run from you, death.
I do not fear you, death.
I stand at the gateway of this and every year
With my arms open wide to embrace you
If you shall come my way.
I do not fear you, because I have learned your secret:
You are as much a part of life as living itself.
You are the night which is more than
The absence of day.
I do not fear you, death;
I fear only the fear of living.
Gosh! ! ! ! ! ! ! Brillant poem Seamus, thought provoking, causing me to reflect on my own journey, a call to live life to the utmost. I had a near-death experience myself and through it lost my fear of the Unknown. Death is inevitable but for god sake let me die Living.10++++++++++++ I love this poem it's on my favorites
Brilliant poem, Seamus! The bare truth - we spend our lives fleeing death. But you've conquered the fear of living? Lucky you. I started sweating on the plane back to my life - and haven't stopped!
Thanks for your reply, Seamus. Just a clarification - it was not so much a fear of flying as a fear of coming back to my life!
I've had opportunity to look at many of the masks that death wears, as well as the strange privilege of seeing my own. This life is often difficult enough to live on its own merits, without being further constrained by fear of something we will ultimately embrace. My wife shares your fear of planes, so I can well empathize with you there. Thanks, Laurie!
It's great to have a chance to real a darn good poem after these days of total confusion. It's much worse to be scared of sudden life than sudden death. We cannot control the latter but we can overcome the fear of life. Very fine poem, Seamus.
Welcome back, Tom! It feels like we were all zombies emerging from the mist. Thanks for the kind comments, Tom, and I cannot agree more with the insight. Thank you.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/27/2024 8:57:44 PM # 1.0.0.1119
Wow! You delve into the reality of death that is part of living, brilliant expression of the fear of death then you take a step back and know that death is a comfort, a release from living and it is living you fear! Outstanding write! !