Looking backwards*

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    Looking backwards*

     

    Looking backwards over my life,

    the most casual choices have major effects.

    They cast the longest shadows.

    Major choices are minor.

     

    The most casual choices have major effects

    and cause me to wonder.

    Major choices are minor,

    there are no regrets there.

     

    …and cause me to wonder…

    they cast the longest shadows.

    There are no regrets there?

    Looking backward over my life.

     



     

    * pantoum

     

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    WordSlinger commented on Looking backwards*

    12-05-2009

    i hear this, mental scars and all, we stand and we fall, :) ty WS
    Reply to Comment

    Poetry is finer and more philosophical than history; for poetry expresses the universal, and history only the particular.

    Aristotle (384 BC-322 BC) Greek philosopher.

    burdick’s Poems (314)

    Title Comments Submitted
    Title Comments Submitted
    Two friends 1 12/07/2009
    Desert* 1 12/06/2009
    Looking backwards* 1 12/05/2009
    Night noises* 0 12/04/2009
    The third eye. 0 12/03/2009
    Dreary day* 0 12/02/2009
    Cinquain four 0 12/01/2009
    Cinquain three 0 11/30/2009
    Cinquain two 0 11/29/2009
    Cinquain One 0 11/28/2009
    The apple revisted 0 11/27/2009
    .0(and 118 more of them)x 0 11/26/2009
    Psalm 261* 0 11/25/2009
    Ode to a large brown beetle 1 11/24/2009
    Sarapiqui sunrise 0 11/23/2009
    Patches* 2 11/22/2009
    Three strikes 2 11/21/2009
    A lament for my e-mail 0 11/20/2009
    Winter’s Night 0 11/19/2009
    Four times six 1 11/18/2009
    Poetry 1 11/17/2009
    Hidden pattern* 1 11/15/2009
    At night, alone* 1 11/14/2009
    Fire Light, Fire Bright 0 11/13/2009
    Passage 1 11/12/2009
    Senseless song 0 11/08/2009
    To that happy young man 0 11/07/2009
    Northern Cycle 0 11/06/2009
    Alnitak 0 11/05/2009
    Ancient airs and dances* 0 11/04/2009
    A far distant shore 0 11/03/2009
    Carlo Emanuele* 0 11/02/2009
    Two one 0 11/01/2009
    Ah Yes! 0 10/31/2009
    A modest proposal* 0 10/30/2009
    Alice of Abervenny 0 10/29/2009
    The Gaedhil and the Gaill* 0 10/28/2009
    The Battle of the Quicken Trees 0 10/27/2009
    Star People 1 10/26/2009
    Sunrise 1 10/25/2009
    No Question! 0 10/24/2009
    Reigning Thoughts 0 10/23/2009
    Recipe for an American Politician 0 10/22/2009
    Seeking 0 10/21/2009
    The Old Camel Trail 0 10/20/2009
    Flat Universe 0 10/19/2009
    Rose Petal Mead 1 10/17/2009
    Assessment* 1 10/16/2009
    Ethics* 1 10/15/2009
    Non Injussa Cano* 1 10/14/2009
    Lost Page* 0 10/13/2009
    Were I thy Guide 0 10/12/2009
    Let’s Pretend 0 10/11/2009
    A Riddle, Oh! 0 10/10/2009
    Steps on the Stairs 0 10/09/2009
    A word or two 0 10/08/2009
    Hidden Grace 0 10/07/2009
    Credo 0 10/06/2009
    An Ending 0 10/05/2009
    Languor Leaves the Leaves 0 10/04/2009
    Write and Flush 0 10/03/2009
    A Road Not Taken 0 10/02/2009
    Thanatos al Nyx bin Erebos 0 10/01/2009
    Autumn leaves 2 09/30/2009
    Pooh-bah Poet, not 0 09/29/2009
    Dark Energy, mostly. 0 09/28/2009
    Cameos 0 09/27/2009
    Mockingbird 0 09/26/2009
    A Sonnet to a Friend of a Kind, Wise Person. 0 09/25/2009
    Poor Dr Zachary Smith! 0 09/24/2009
    The solution 2 09/23/2009
    Easy Ease 0 09/22/2009
    Ca plane pour moi 0 09/21/2009
    From the Fortress 0 09/20/2009
    Look Again! 0 09/19/2009
    Not Today* 0 09/18/2009
    Poem Prayer* 0 09/17/2009
    A Dusty Road* 0 09/16/2009
    Kansas! 0 09/15/2009
    The Sounds of Color 1 09/14/2009
    John’s Fable 0 09/13/2009
    Suppose 0 09/12/2009
    Apprentice Pillar 0 09/11/2009
    The Spirited Word 0 09/10/2009
    Men and Words 0 09/09/2009
    The song of the lark* 0 09/08/2009
    Sonnet to a half-growed toad. 1 09/07/2009
    The bite of the byte 1 09/05/2009
    Ode to Meadowsweet 1 09/04/2009
    Oh Man, thy Name is Vanity. 1 09/03/2009
    The Chicago and North Shore Railroad 0 09/02/2009
    Twinkle, Twinkle 0 09/01/2009
    The Beech and The Maple 0 08/31/2009
    Seeking 0 08/29/2009
    A Spin on Time 0 08/28/2009
    Honesty 0 08/27/2009
    Parable of the Guppies 0 08/26/2009
    Rigspula 0 08/25/2009
    Don’t Cry for Me 2 08/24/2009
    No Kahiki mai ka wahine ‘o Pele… 0 08/23/2009
    Of Useful Boundaries* 0 08/22/2009
    Carol 0 08/21/2009
    Missing Colors 0 08/20/2009
    The Fragrance of Lilacs 1 08/19/2009
    Christian Proposal 1 08/18/2009
    Taxing 0 08/17/2009
    Childhood Vacation 0 08/16/2009
    The Jinni * 0 08/15/2009
    Dialog 0 08/14/2009
    Valles Marinieris 0 08/13/2009
    Wind and Sea 0 08/12/2009
    The Sage* 0 08/11/2009
    Fragment* 0 08/10/2009
    Let’s Hear it for Sin! 0 08/09/2009
    Well….yes? 0 08/08/2009
    The Nation Yes 0 08/07/2009
    Evening Thoughts 0 08/06/2009
    The Poet 1 08/05/2009
    The lark in flight 0 08/04/2009
    Melancholy Song 0 08/03/2009
    I am confused 0 08/02/2009
    A Student of Phillpotts* 0 08/01/2009
    Pears 0 07/31/2009
    Seven to One 0 07/30/2009
    Desert Noon* 1 07/29/2009
    Sunrise* 0 07/28/2009
    A finished poem 1 07/27/2009
    Sweet Song 0 07/26/2009
    Once more, almost 0 07/25/2009
    The Sea 0 07/24/2009
    Irish Cliché 2 07/23/2009
    Ode to Evil 1 07/22/2009
    Rondelet for Sergeant Schultz 1 07/21/2009
    Victory Villanelle 1 07/20/2009
    Ossian 0 07/19/2009
    Fresh Figs 0 07/16/2009
    Sestina a la Chat 1 07/15/2009
    A Hard Rain 0 07/14/2009
    Shadow fall 0 07/13/2009
    James Paul Donahue, Jr. (1915-1966) 0 07/12/2009
    Ruined Moon 0 07/11/2009
    Lake song 0 07/10/2009
    Tafari Makonnen (1892- ?) 0 07/09/2009
    Flawed Gnostic 0 07/08/2009
    A walk in my garden. 0 07/07/2009
    To a dog 1 07/06/2009
    Grandkids at lake 1 07/05/2009
    Two one 0 07/04/2009
    Questions 0 07/03/2009
    Fear 0 07/02/2009
    White Hunter 0 07/01/2009
    Little Joe Poet 1 06/30/2009
    Bird watcher 2 06/29/2009
    A Student of Phillpotts* 0 06/28/2009
    Kansas! 0 06/27/2009
    The Sounds of Color 3 06/26/2009
    Dog days in Kentucky* 0 06/25/2009
    Cynical mouse tails 0 06/24/2009
    John’s Fable 0 06/23/2009
    suppose 1 06/22/2009
    Apprentice Pillar 0 06/19/2009
    The Spirited Word 0 06/18/2009
    Cherry blossoms 0 06/17/2009
    Men and Words 0 06/16/2009
    The song of the lark* 1 06/15/2009
    Two Moons 1 06/14/2009
    Sonnet to a half-growed toad. 0 06/13/2009
    The bite of the byte 0 06/12/2009
    Pears 0 06/11/2009
    Ode to Meadowsweet 0 06/10/2009
    Oh Man, thy Name is Vanity. 0 06/09/2009
    The Chicago and North Shore Railroad 0 06/08/2009
    Twinkle, Twinkle 0 06/07/2009
    The Beech and The Maple 0 06/06/2009
    Seeking 0 06/05/2009
    A Spin on Time 0 06/04/2009
    Honesty 0 06/03/2009
    Parable of the Guppies 0 06/02/2009
    Down with Up! * 0 06/01/2009
    Haf Song 1 05/31/2009
    Ode to Unused Words 0 05/30/2009
    Rigspula 0 05/29/2009
    Ode to Godfrey 0 05/28/2009
    Ah Yes! 0 05/27/2009
    A modest proposal* 0 05/26/2009
    Alice of Abervenny 0 05/25/2009
    The Gaedhil and the Gaill* 0 05/24/2009
    The Battle of the Quicken Trees 0 05/23/2009
    Star People 0 05/22/2009
    Sunrise 0 05/21/2009
    Aapep 0 05/20/2009
    No Question! 0 05/19/2009
    Reigning Thoughts 0 05/18/2009
    Recipe for an American Politician 0 05/16/2009
    Sleep 0 05/15/2009
    Seeking 0 05/14/2009
    The Old Camel Trail 0 05/13/2009
    Flat Universe 0 05/12/2009
    Rose Petal Mead 0 05/11/2009
    Ethics* 0 05/10/2009
    Ode to an Antique Dealer 0 05/09/2009
    Reality Check 0 05/08/2009
    Guppies 1 05/07/2009
    Non Injussa Cano* 0 05/06/2009
    Lost Page* 0 05/05/2009
    Were I thy Guide 0 05/04/2009
    Mom teaches Karma 0 05/02/2009
    Who Cares?* 0 05/01/2009
    A Riddle, Oh! 0 04/30/2009
    Steps on the Stairs 0 04/29/2009
    Winter Evening 0 04/28/2009
    A word or two 0 04/27/2009
    Hidden Grace 0 04/26/2009
    Summer people 0 04/25/2009
    Credo 1 04/23/2009
    An Ending 0 04/22/2009
    Languor Leaves the Leaves 1 04/21/2009
    Write and Flush 0 04/20/2009
    Babbling Brook 0 04/19/2009
    A Road Not Taken 0 04/18/2009
    Thanatos al Nyx bin Erebos 0 04/01/2009
    Autumn Rain 0 03/31/2009
    Mockingbird 0 03/30/2009
    Poor Dr Zachary Smith! 1 03/29/2009
    The solution 0 03/28/2009
    A finished poem 1 03/27/2009
    A Sonnet to a Friend of a Kind, Wise Person. 0 03/26/2009
    Desert Noon* 1 03/25/2009
    Sunrise* 0 03/24/2009
    Granddame Tara 0 03/23/2009
    Sweet Song 0 03/22/2009
    Autumn wine 0 03/21/2009
    Once more, almost 0 03/20/2009
    The Sea 0 03/19/2009
    Irish Cliché 1 03/18/2009
    Ode to Evil 0 03/17/2009
    Rondelet for Sergeant Schultz 0 03/16/2009
    Elderberries 0 03/15/2009
    Victory Villanelle 0 03/13/2009
    Time 1 03/12/2009
    Autumn 1 03/11/2009
    Ossian 0 03/10/2009
    Fresh Figs 0 03/09/2009
    Return 0 03/08/2009
    Sestina a la Chat 0 03/07/2009
    A Hard Rain 0 03/06/2009
    Shadow fall 0 03/05/2009
    James Paul Donahue, Jr. (1915-1966) 0 03/04/2009
    A song to First Nations 2 03/03/2009
    Ruined Moon 0 03/02/2009
    Lake song 0 03/01/2009
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    Silent Song 0 02/27/2009
    Objects in Time/space 0 02/26/2009
    Blue jay 0 02/25/2009
    Tarry a while, so fair thou art. 0 02/24/2009
    A moment mourned 0 02/23/2009
    Machu Picchu 1 02/22/2009
    Urybamba 0 02/22/2009
    South facing hill 0 02/21/2009
    thank you Mr.Nash! 0 02/20/2009
    Answer in 7/6 time 0 02/19/2009
    Stray dog 0 02/18/2009
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    Al-Amal 0 02/17/2009
    Jaisalmer 0 02/16/2009
    Desert Queen/India 0 01/27/2009
    Camel ride 0 01/26/2009
    Autumn in Arabia 0 01/25/2009
    Santa Fe sunset 0 01/24/2009
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    ta Fe    		 0 01/23/2009
    Butterfly 0 01/22/2009
    What? 0 01/21/2009
    Facts of little interest 0 01/20/2009
    Education 0 01/19/2009
    Enlightenment revisited 2 01/18/2009
    Focus 0 01/17/2009
    A Modest Eschatology 1 01/16/2009
    A Fable of Cosmology 0 01/15/2009
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    ally, one more than eight    		 0 01/14/2009
    Enlightenment 0 01/13/2009
    Grandm’ 0 01/12/2009
    Aunt May 0 01/11/2009
    Uncle Elvin 0 01/11/2009
    Visit 1 01/10/2009
    To a cat 1 01/09/2009
    113 West North Street, 1939 1 01/08/2009
    Childhood, long ago 0 01/07/2009
    Endings 0 01/06/2009
    Random thoughts of an old man. 3 01/05/2009
    Old Memories 2 01/04/2009
    Credo II 0 01/04/2009
    Curtain call 4 01/03/2009
    There were wolves in Wales 4 01/02/2009
    Quis custodiet ipsos custodies? 1 01/01/2009
    Ode to confusion 4 12/31/2008
    I am from 8 12/30/2008
    Wood Thrush 5 12/29/2008
    Honeysuckle 2 12/28/2008
    Far from the middle way 2 12/21/2008
    Middle Kingdom 0 12/20/2008
    High happy room 3 12/19/2008
    Potala 1 12/18/2008
    Arrival 1 12/17/2008
    Black and white 0 12/17/2008
    Farmer village 2 12/16/2008
    Wild Badaling Wall 0 12/15/2008
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    Life’s Travail 2 12/12/2008
    Echo of a French rhyme 3 12/10/2008
    Mail Run 3 12/09/2008
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