Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Quest

In Search of Eldorado
Our faith in gold, and pearl, and fountains
where youth and manhood are renewed
Was lost in challenging these mountains
of pathless chasms, boulders strewed
to crush our spirits, slow our way,
ice by night and fire by day.

We thought we would have been, by now,
stretched languidly in fragrant grass.
Who could foresee this brooding brow
of overhanging cliff? We pass
against the precipice; the blood
of clinging fingers marks our way
precarious, day after day
threatened by avalanche and flood.

Nor have we found the streets of gold,
but dust, and thorn, and flies that bite,
and eyes that circle us at night,
and we are growing old.

Bruised, we scientists retreat.
The stones of paradise have torn our feet.









14 comments:

mrsnesbitt said...

Great to see you here again Phyllis - how's things?
This poem is wonderful - really stirred me. Thanks so much, sincerely from us all here on the ABC Team.

Denise x

MERYL JAFFE, PhD - parent, psychologist, teacher, author... said...

What a lovely poem. So moving and so pertinent to how so many of us feel in these frightening times.

Roger Owen Green said...

yes, we keep up the quest in spite of it all.
ROG, ABC Wednesday team

Kay L. Davies said...

This is perfect. You've captured an elusive truth here.

Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie’s Guide to Adventurous Travel

Tumblewords: said...

Stellar piece - it reaches each reader.

Rinkly Rimes said...

I'm always delighted when your poetry appears. You have a way with similes and metaphors that I envy.You are definitely top of my blog-poets list.

MaR said...

exQuisite poetry!!

Q is for quadruped

Unknown said...

"the stones of paradise" -- such an image!
HelenMac
ABC Team

Kim, USA said...

You are awesome Granny Smith!

ABC

Chubskulit Rose said...

Beautiful composition!

Find out what Quiet is for my kids.

Madeleine Begun Kane said...

That's really good! Thanks!
Madeleine Begun Kane

Madeleine Begun Kane said...

I just dropped by to congratulate you on yet another Limerick-Off Honorable Mention! Fun limerick! Thanks!

Madeleine Begun Kane said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Madeleine Begun Kane said...

Congratulations on yet another Honorable Mention in last week's Limerick-Off. Great job! Limerick of the Week 43