cycle of the poets

The sun and soft breezes inspire gentle thoughts

and poetic musings for weekend scriveners,

but

              storms and mud and lashing rain

uncover our true humanity and our lives.

Floods and thunder churn up reality,

expose the deep roots of suffering and living,

and drag poetic wanderings back down

into the primeval muck of creation and the life

of this world, the breeding ground where nature

has her dark victory and humanity begins again.

The filth, rushing water, and strife of this life

make artistic fancies gestate once again.

Nothing is unchanged and all things bloom in death.

Struggle conquers daydream, dreams are changed,

But

                               then the clouds pass, the sun returns,

and newly evolved poetic dreams take flight once again in the cycle

of creation, the cycle of the living, the cycle of the poets.

R.R. Shea