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What’s Meant to Be

We say each moment has vast possibilities
And choose our direction carefully.
We hope for fair wind and calm seas;
If all fails there’s this reliable decree-
Things happen as they were meant to be...

Friends and loved ones die suddenly!
The pros have memorized their blessings
Assuring us the more we believe
Somehow we will be soothed of grief-
Things happen as they were meant to be...

What is there in us to allow a killing spree,
To take the front row by the hanging tree,
To treat all human screams so cheap
Or bear witness to genocide and slavery-
Things happen as they were meant to be...

Don’t look for reasons or philosophy
Just accept your fate like a sheep.
There’s nothing in your will that’s free,
Just play the fool and repeat after me-
Things happen as they were meant to be.

Editing stage: 

Comments

I totally agree. The way of life is that we need constant reassurance, so that we can accept what we may not understand. It may seem as though the words are meaningless, but most of us say them to express our hope that one feels we understand the grief another feels at the loss of a loved one. We don't know what else to say! ~ Geezer.
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There is value to commenting and critique, tell us how you feel about our work.
This must be the place, 'cause there ain't no place like this place anywhere near this place.

When we loose loved ones we sometimes ask questions that are irrelevant but meaningful just to consul ourselves that's why we does say we are meant to be though life itself is unfair.

Until you live and allow life to past through you you will never understand life.

I rather learn how to fish than beg for one.

There has been a bit too much acceptance for the last couple of decades I think. Now onward to the poem lol.There is no end rhyme in second stanza. I expect you are aware of this but if you're gonna rhyme.rhyme (unless you are using something like a morphing form.). last stanza, second line...try replacing a sheep with some sheep and see if you like it better Enjoyed the read.....stan

The entire poem is in the same rhyme of the "e" sound. Of course some are direct and some slant, as if it was all too direct might sound a bit more forced.

Yes all these cliches drive me crazy- "thoughts and prayers". "It's all for the best" (BULLSHIT, when I hear that it's mostly all for the worst!) and on and on.

Do we have free will? or is it all in the cards? Probably both. But that doesn't mean we have to accept it, and must live our lives as proactively as we can. When life is before us, take it!

Eumolpus
I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance
ee cummings

author comment

Nicely written Mark
Philosophically this poem remains the iterating hewn and cry of human existence Are we not the stimmed species? Smart enough to ask and ponder but hardly ever smart enough to have the answer I wonder if you really want to know the way out of this quagmire?
Best Z

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