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Three Regrets
by Ken HarnischShe has said she will not live a life
Filled with regrets
And asks me If
I might, or would
But never if I have.
Well, the answer is no
With a caveat
There are three regrets
I have in my life
That are undoable
Now
I regret my father died
When I was one, and
That I never trusted
Men till I was past
Caring or knowing the difference
Between heroes and villains.
I never regretted my sins, my sacrifices,
My sensuality, my seductions
I regret I did not turn
Formidable intelligence
To the pursuit of something
Tangible, so I could
Say I did something worth leaving
To the World
I never regretted my deviations, my devotions,
My deities, my defiance
I regret I was not
Smart enough to know
Love when it came to me
And run from it
When it did not.
I never regretted my liaisons, my longings,
My lovers, my lassitude
I can leave knowing,
In sum,
I wouldn’t have done it
Much differently
Though maybe with a more interesting cast
In some of the supporting roles
As for looking back and wondering?
That is for the people
Who think
“The Road Not Taken”
Is Frost’s greatest poem
Myself
I like the last
Words of that
Old Sixties song-poem
“Desiderata”
“No doubt the universe
Is unfolding as it should.”
No doubt at all.
03/13/2009 Posted on 03/13/2009
Copyright © 2025 Ken Harnisch
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Colleen Sperry on 03/13/09 at 11:12 PM I like what you have done here! |
| Posted by Gabriel Ricard on 03/14/09 at 01:37 AM Some great narrative, really strong shots of poetic flow and energy, and then some nicely done bits of dialog thrown in for good measure. Outstanding. |
| Posted by Anita Mac on 03/14/09 at 05:15 AM I really like this for the narrative and the flow... The way you space regrets with things you never have is perfect. |
| Posted by Joan Serratelli on 03/14/09 at 02:30 PM I, too, like the narration and the flow. The regets- they're yours and not for me to comment on. Good job! |
| Posted by Charlie Morgan on 03/14/09 at 04:15 PM ...ken, i lost count of the regrets, no matter i fell in love with the way you were biting realities words right in the yingyang...i wish for the guts to lay out some of your owned-up-to shortcomings[regrets], i am duly impressed, a wonderful [real] write. |
| Posted by Melissa Arel on 03/17/09 at 03:23 AM Only 3 regrets? Not bad :) Your writings never disappoint. Great poem! |
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