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a life changing poem

sephiath

Bluelighter
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
2
Location
Dallas, TX
Just wanted to share this poem with you, it really makes you think about how we're living our lives, how we care about people and if we're really making the best of the little time we have while alive...enjoy and let me know what you think :)

The Dash
by Linda Ellis

I read of a reverend who stood to speak
at the funeral of his friend.
He referred to the date on her tombstone
from the beginning... to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
and spoke of the date with tears
but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
that she spent alive on earth, and
now only those who loved her know
what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;
the cars, the house, the cash.
What matters is how we live and loved
and how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard,
Are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
You could be at "dash mid-range"

If we could just slow down enough
to consider what's true and real,
and always try to understand
the way other people feel, and
be less quick to anger,
show appreciation more
and love the people in our lives like
we've never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,
more often wear a smile
remembering that this special dash
might only last a while.

So when your eulogy is being read
with your life's actions to rehash...
would you be pleased with the things they say
about how you spent your dash?
 
i quite like your poem, but i especially like your choice of words here: "but he said what mattered most of all
was the dash between those years" :)

nice work.

[edit: i just realised that you said you didn't write this. still, it's a very nice piece :)]
 
Last edited:
This is really great! I can see this read to a kid like 8-10y/o to smooth the grief of a loss and sort of set the values straight. I liked all of it, so i will not say which part I liked the most, but if you dont mind me saying, this one I liked the least:

<<
For it matters not how much we own;
the cars, the house, the cash.
>>

it distracted me from the general feel of the poem, really bothered me, but thats IMHO.


Great work!




skjalff
 
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