'This Life Is But A Lengthy Test'

This life is but a lengthy test
that very few take not as jest:
they dance and sing and drink their ales
while spinning foolish, epic tales;
they celebrate regretful tears
and waste away their better years;
they take for granted their good wives
and sacrifice their long, long lives.

But not we - we who spends our lives
with youthful fruits from faithful wives.
We venture through our sinless years 
while serving in remorseless tears.
And when we do recount our tales
with mirth and joy, with drinks and ales,
we will recount in gleeful jest
for we'd have passed God's every test.




?/10/15

Poet's Notes

First off, let me wish everyone reading a merry Christmas. It's so close to the new year and, since this would be my last post until then, I thought it would only be fitting that I shared this poem in particular in conjunction with the declaration of New-Year resolutions. 

This poem concerns the casual treating of life as a game to be played for mere sport and fun. It condemns that sort of attitude towards life while promoting the more virtuous alternative. The many times I have seen proud and public displays of such behaviour boasted fondly to the world on social media were inspirations while writing this poem. However, the first quatrain written - the last quatrain, ironically - was conceived from messages, lessons almost, by a dear friend. Initially, the poem was to be written in the voice of a persona undergoing such changes; but as I composed it, I felt that I had undergone similar changes, thus allowing the poem to affect me in the way I had hoped it would others.