Which path to take?
So many perceived
possibilities
early in life they seem
infinite almost, but
later: determinate, obdurate,
few:
What makes us change
our perception
of what is impossible?
Reservations, reluctance
to make ourselves risible;
deportment, decorum
or maybe it’s really just
fear…
© Experimentsinfiction 2020, All Rights Reserved
Whimzygizmo is hosting at dVerse and she has asked us to write a poem of exactly 44 words including the word ‘possible’ or one or more of its derivatives.
This got me thinking of forking paths, and one of my favourite kids shows: Dora the Explorer. She always asks the audience to tell her which path to take, but in truth when we are children the possibilities seem endless. We can be whatever we dream of ‘when we grow up.’
Then we grow up, and we end up like Benny the Bull in this video, bashing our head against a wall because we think we can’t go anywhere. In reality, we have given up on our dreams, which is something we should never do. I’ll hand over to Tracy Chapman who says it better than I ever could:
I love this,… and I feel that all the roads are closing… but maybe we grew content with status quo as well… (and that might be a little bit good as well)
Yes, there can be comforts in ‘settling down’ but that doesn’t stop us dreaming!
I love this, the endless possibilities of childhood. May we always be able to go back and recapture that hope, and scope.
Thanks, De! In my case having children of my own has helped.
Love this! In the end it is ultimately our nerves that determine which path we choose … unclouded (if we are lucky) by fear and dread. I say, jump at the possibilities before us! 💝
Me too! 👋
Oh, this is so true. Anything seems possible when we are young, even the impossible.
It’s part of the wonder of childhood.
Yes, indeed.
I really like this one. I’ve always said, the act of “growing up” is actually losing possibilities in some ways. I remember thinking it was so interesting when I learned that a jabbering baby, before they talk, is actually making the sounds and has the ability to make the sounds of many languages. In reality, when the baby/toddler learns to talk, the child actually loses sounds while learning to speak their home language. We think of babies as learning new words and as parents we are so proud of their acquisition of language when in reality they are eliminating and losing “words”.
Ah…you’ve got me thinking now….The mark of a good poem!
That’s fascinating: thank you for teaching me something new, too!
About middle age, I realized my childhood fantasies were too numerous and fanciful to achieve in just one lifetime. That’s when I got into Zen, and then a New Age Gnostic frame of mind, and decided that I had several lifetimes to achieve my goals.
What a perfect solution!
A delightful mix of Robert Frost and Dora the Explorer, Ingrid! I’ve been reading a book called The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, in which a girl who tries to take her own life ends up in a strange library where the librarian encourages her to explore her regrets and find out what would have happened if she’d made different choices. The question about what makes us change our perception of what is impossible is an interesting one.
Thank you, Kim – I’m intrigued about the book now…
The really young and if you are particularly blessed the very old see the infinite possibilities. Lovely insightful poem
That’s true, sometimes the ‘second childhood’ can give us something back…
like your questions of life .. it is all wondrous options as a child, then rigidity sets in as fear and expectations overwhelm … your videos highlight your poetic points, great post Ingrid!
Thanks Kate!
welcome Ingrid!
I think we grow tired of being daring
Happy Monday
Much💝love
I think you’re right! ❤️
I sometimes think our lives are some sort of anonymous serendipity, influenced by roads taken, influence of persons met, choices made for casual reasons, happenstance, maybes and mayhaps. Your poem is evocative.
That’s a nice way to look at it. I wasn’t that happy with the poem to be honest which is why I added the videos, but serendipitously, it seems to have got people thinking!
We do seem to grow up into a fear that restricts us before we even begin. I love Tracy Chapman too. (K)
She’s underrated I think!
Fear it is. Strong analysis, Ingrid. Salute.
Thanks Ron 👍
It would be good to recapture that excitement and wonder of seeing all the paths of possibilities instead of being fearful and reluctant. Good one.
We can only try…
Sometimes it feels like the forces of the universe conspire against us, but one foot in front of the other. Nice philosophical food for thought, Ingrid.
Thanks Lisa!
My pleasure!
Ingrid, the choices before us are very numerous when we are young and narrow over time due to factors such as physical ability and education required. But I believe people have far, far more options than they realize. For example, many people go back to school, start a businesses, or run for office in their middle years. They may write, paint, or travel in their retirement. There is always another dream to chase if you have the will.
Thank you for the lovely poem with the wise admonition. All the best! 🙂
Thank you, Cheryl: not all possibilities are physical, there are many spiritual possibilities also 😊
Deep, we must always persevere to make out dreams of past come true, I loved it :))
Thanks Jay, so pleased you enjoyed 😊
the conclusion is resounding. indeed it is fear. profound, Ingrid.
Even with those fears, the possibilities are always there before us. Facing down those fears is the obstacle. I know I’ve experienced it. (I wish I could say successfully!) And that’s the “perception” in the second half of your poem. Well done.
Thoughtful meditation. Fears do hold us back. We all long for our freedom from them.
This made me think of the novella I’ve been trying to finish which dives into quantum physics and how the quantum computer can predict so many possibilities, but he says humans are predictable, they function as robots. I think that happens as we age. In our youth, we aren’t programmed yet. Having young children around are a gift as we see all the potential in the world! Lovely thoughts!
What a wonderful analogy! Sounds like a great novella, I would like to read it. I might have time to read a novella, once the kids return to school😅
I am hoping to finish it by the end of the month for the ScreenCraft competition. It may stay a short story if I don’t get to work. I entered it last year and made the Quarterfinals, but I think the ending needs work and wanted to extend it. It’s just so much easier to write poems! haha! Get with me by 11/30 if you would like to read!
I know – so much quicker to write poems! I have a ‘work-in-progress’ which has not seen any progress for 6 months 😬 keep me posted on your progress, and good luck!
Thanks, I will do that 🙂
I really enjoyed how you took observations of a child’s show and turned it into a poem for adults. Cheers.
Makes me wonder what would happen if more people decided to go down the “impossible” paths. How much better would the world be if we realised so much good was possible if only we tried a little bit harder. Thank you for a beautiful, thought provoking read.
Oh that’s very true! Great observation 😊
Ingrid,
Great poem and I love the question in the middle of it, “What makes us change
our perception of what is impossible?
Holding onto possibility is one of my ongoing goals. It is not easy.
Take care.