A Poet's Blog: Roger N.Taber shares his thoughts & poems...

Thoughts and observations by English poet Roger N. Taber, a retired librarian and poet-novelist.- "Ethnicity, Religion, Gender, Sexuality ... these are but parts of a whole. It is the whole that counts." RNT [NB While I have no wish to create a social network, I will always reply to critical emails about my poetry. Contact: rogertab@aol.com].

Name:
Location: London, United Kingdom

Sadly, a bad fall in 2012 has left me with a mobility problem, and being diagnosed with prostate cancer the same year hasn't helped, but I get out and about with my trusty walking stick as much as I can, take each day as it comes and try to keep looking on the bright(er) side of life. Many of my poems reflect the need to nurture a positive-thinking mindset whatever life throws at us.

Monday, 20 January 2020

No Match for Love


Regular readers will know that I wholeheartedly support assisted suicide when it is clearly what a person wants and there is no hidden agenda on the part of any third party. Oh, and why not; we put down animals in distress so why persist in treating human beings less humanely? Yes, there are religious arguments concerning the sanctity of human life, and I respect these, but why should anyone who subscribes to no religion be likewise bound by them? In some countries, Assisted Dying is legal, but why should anyone have to leave country and friends, let alone have to pay for the 'privilege' of dying on their own terms? So far, I can live with the fact that my quality of life has been much undermined by my prostate cancer; once the cancer becomes aggressive or my quality of life all but beyond endurance...I would prefer a say in dying that does not necessitate the the pain of  leaving not only loved ones, but my country too. Oh, and why not...?

People may argue the sanctity of human life, but what of the quality of human life? We have no say in our being born, we all deserve a say in when and how we die as and when the occasion arises. Whose life is it, anyway? 

Yes, we may (or may not) be much missed by some, but every life touches  others more than it can ever know, and whomsoever it has touched for the good, there thrives the art and poetry of Memory to nurture our posthumous consciousness, playing an active part in lending lives and human spirits  the timelessness we call eternity.

NO MATCH FOR LOVE

I try the patience
of all those who can relate to me
but cannot call me
friend since we do not empathise
with one another;
yet neither am I an enemy,
the likes of which
would see the kinder mind-body-spirit
go into free fall

To the human spirit,
I throw the challenge of a lifetime,
daring it to use me
as it will – go with my flow, turn
the tables on
any open contempt I so love
to put down
by recording its final shouts and screams
that all may listen in

No defeatist, I pursue
friend and enemy alike, inflict on them
ways of seeing
and feeling beyond all imagination,
regardless of race,
religion or gender identity,
no attempt to please,
but bring humanity to its knees, homing in
on its finer flaws

I am Pain, would triumph over all humankind
but for its capacity for love upstaging me

Copyright R. N. Taber, 2020

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