eric sundin

Ut i stora vida världen
söker vi oss eller flyr
å väl på den galna färden
hur vi ställer till och styr!

Vad finns av värde ute där
om slita hela dagen?
Om inte lugnt ens hjärta är
lever man väl bedragen?

Är ej viktigast sej besinna
var än vi råkar oss befinna?

+)
besinna = (i ordbok från 1870) med tankeförmågan uppmärksamt skärskåda en sak, synnerligast med afseende på dess följder

edited 05/12/22 1535

Mikey

This verse was inspired by grandson Mikey when as a small boy he romped on top of the windlass in the bow of HMS ‘Queen Mary’, moored in Long Beach, CA since 1967. Of course ‘sic transit gloria mundi’ ship wise, while Mikey is still in his prime as a young man.

On polished upper decks: splendor & light
a display of power, riches & fame
while in the ship’s belly toiled crew out of sight
Times past like today, remaining the same

In her day the flagship of empire
enterprise, industry & might
albeit were it soon to expire
based more on arrogance than right

Many a storm howled around the crew in the con
No longer sets her bow in huge waves rushing on:

The windlass a stage for a toddler’s romp
as parents watch by gleaming gunnels
Without fail shall fade circumstance & pomp.
The ship a play field with three funnels

Now an amusement park in a disparate age
the ‘Queen Mary’ languishes moored in a zoo’s cage

+)
-funnel = smokestack, especially on a steamship
-gunnels = the upper edge of a ship’s side
-the ‘Queen Mary’ held the ‘Blue Ribbon’ speed record across the Atlantic after averaging 31 knots in 1938, between New York and Southampton

edited 06/13/24 0810

The palace of Versailles:
Earthly power gone awry

The monarchy absolute
of the people heedless
Then the plebs got resolute
and royals died headless

An action that ought to inspire
in any empire gone haywire

+)
royals = here: In 1793 Louis XVI, and his spouse Marie Antoinette were, among others, executed during the French Revolution

edited 06/06/22 0730

While she was quite resolute
maybe not all that astute?

Canning industry she chastised:
“Insufficient space between!
Way too crowded!”, she agonized,
“for each little canned sardine!”

Too narrowly focused
blazed away on her warpath
protests wreaked like locust
until grasped in aftermath:

Surely there’s more sardines crave
than mere space in their tin grave!

edited 05/03/22 1530

Might those unknown truly humble
be the sole ‘adults’ these days
those who rarely are heard grumble
those few who’d rather shun praise?

Tailwinds push truculently
on many roads avaricious
wide, they gleam luminously
leading to dead-ends pernicious

Shouldn’t those faking being modest
be deserving of our wrath?
These days invasive as sawdust
as they’re clogging up life’s path!

Ends up flashy futility
when we push too hard for success?

+)
-‘adult’ = an emotionally, mentally & socially mature person – seen many recently?
-truculent = brutally harsh; cruel

edited 10/07/23 1450

My presence turned sallow
gotten gray & old
Insipid & shallow
shuffling like a troll

Seeking out quietude
and tranquility
scrounging each interlude
for sanguinity

Uneasily did plumb
the depth of my soul:
Found it still callow, numb
though perhaps bit droll?

In my youth I held higher hopes
than retire as one of Life’s dopes

edited 05/28/24 0650

We keep suffering iniquity
by greedy ‘power elite’ blithe
Brutish plight predates antiquity
scythed powerless humans still writhe

Implacably each ‘people’s savior’
shall feel uniquely appointed
But let’s assess our own behavior:
We allow being exploited!

True change doesn’t somehow happen out there
but through risk filled action by ‘us’ here

+)
-us = we the people; here: each of us

edited 05/06/26 0855

Could have had solidarity
rather than indignity
engaged in jocularity
rather than malignity

Our Species is lost in denial
thinking we alone in control
but shows us up as suicidal
when created our own sinkhole

But Humans falling extinct
shall rejuvenate Earth
summed up here in phrase succinct:
Nature shall romp in mirth!

edited 07/14/21 0720

Ledsam kan kännas samtiden
knoget tungt, med slutet uppenbart
Dagligen skallar framtiden:
“Jag lurar bak hörnan, kommer snart!”

Men upp från sjön på branten
skimmrar ögonblickets fullhet
uppleves ovan Anten
nuets djupa förnöjsamhet:

Tillfredsställd här i det nuvarande
i mitt dagliga hemmavarande

+)
Anten = en insjö o ett litet samhälle där vi har en gård

edited 01/03/24 0845

From those vapid repartees
please do deliver me!
None of them Life’s apogees
just annoying whoopee

So let’s not suffer such banter:
The ruckus & raves of the ranter
The meddling of the supplanter
trying out-cantillate the cantor

Those jarring voices just lessen & lambast
when I’d rather see quietude be amassed

+)
-cantillate = recite with musical intonation; recite as a chant or a psalm
-repartee = a quick (conjectured) ‘clever’ reply
-supplanter = someone who butts in; one who wrongfully seizes and holds the place of another

edited 09/04/23 0905