like shadows at noon disappearing
the legacy of common men
must fade with passing time
so every man prays to leave a mark
for some it is the land itself
monuments in country graveyards
it may haunt the rambling rooms
of an old mansion
that lingers on the boulevard
others leave notebooks on a shelf
a message from the past
to pass into the future
still the only legacy of worth
dwells in our progeny
our sons and daughters and hopes
What is our legacy to be? Is the topic of your poem. The speaker suggests multiple ways of leaving one's mark on this earth: a grave, perhaps some poems or papers, but really it's about the kids...about leaving our DNA walking on the Earth when we leave, of leaving the children that we worked so hard to raise into adults. Life is fleeting, but there is hope in our children. Personally, I hope to leave some papers and some happy children behind me when I go. Thanks for sharing your poem Barry.
I leave a few pretty good poems and one fantastic son. That's enough. I think, Pamela, that both you and I are quite blessed. Thanks for commenting.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
I hope that we poets leave a legacy of hope behind. The world needs it so. A great work.10
I think that is part of our job. And hope resides in our children and the values that we try to pass along to them.