Ephemeral Musings: A Poem on the Inevitability of Change and the Impermanence of Life



Inescapable, the suffering we endure,
Our lives but fleeting moments in time's flow,
Pain and pleasure, an endless tug-of-war,
Our fate a mystery we'll never know.

The years slip by, like grains of sand we lose,
As we contemplate what has happened,
And contemplate the future, fraught with woes,
The futility of life we amass.

Our memories are like phantoms in the night,
Haunting us with their bittersweet embrace,
And though we long for a future that's bright,
Our hopes are dashed, leaving us in disgrace.

We search for meaning in this meaningless life,
But all we find is emptiness and strife,
For we are but mere players in this grand scheme,
Lost in the endless cycle of birth and dream.

And yet, amidst the chaos, there is beauty,
A fleeting moment of bliss in the strife,
The impermanence of all things, a duty,
To cherish each moment, no matter how rife.

For life is like a dream, a mere illusion,
A temporary state of being, a delusion,
And though we may suffer, and though we may fall,
We'll rise again, renewed, in life's grand hall.

We cling to hope, to love, to all that's dear,
As we journey through life's labyrinthine maze,
And though the path ahead is often unclear,
We walk on, with eyes fixed on better days.

But hope can be a double-edged sword,
A beacon in the darkness, yet a lie,
For life is a game we cannot afford,
To win or lose, we'll all fade and die.

And so we must embrace the here and now,
The joy and pain, the laughter and the tears,
For all we have is this moment somehow,
And we must make the most of it, while it's here.

In the end, we'll all return to dust,
Our struggles, triumphs, and our fleeting lust,
But in the memories we leave behind,
Our legacy, our mark, we'll surely find.

And so, my friends, let us not despair,
For life may be cruel, but it's also fair,
And in the moments we share and create,
We'll find the beauty in our shared fate.

So let us live, and love, and learn and laugh, and cry and die ,
For in this journey, we'll find the reason why,
We're here, in this universe vast and grand,
A mere speck of dust, in life's endless strand.







The poem you have read is an excerpt from one of the main chapters of the book "Homo Sapiens Part XVI" under the popular  "Homo Sapiens" book series written by Mawphniang Napoleon.  To fully experience the poem and the rest of the book, we recommend purchasing a copy from a variety of online bookstores, including Amazon. Don't miss out on the opportunity to read the complete version and explore other books by the same author.
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About this poem

The poem is a reflection on the transience of human life and the struggle between pain and pleasure. The speaker contemplates the meaninglessness of life and the search for purpose. However, amidst the chaos, the poem finds beauty in the impermanence of all things, urging us to cherish each moment. The poem encourages us to embrace the present and make the most of it while acknowledging the inevitability of our return to dust. The speaker reminds us that in the memories we leave behind, we'll find our legacy and mark on the world. Ultimately, the poem encourages us to find the beauty in our shared fate, to live, love, learn, laugh, cry, and die, and to find the reason why we're here in this vast and grand universe. 

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Written on January 26, 2020

Submitted by Mawphniang.Napoleon on March 08, 2023

Modified by Mawphniang.Napoleon on March 08, 2023

2:46 min read
19

Quick analysis:

Scheme XAXA XXXX BCBC DDEE FDFD GGHH IJIJ KLKL MXMX NNOO PPQQ LLRR XX
Closest metre Iambic hexameter
Characters 2,562
Words 537
Stanzas 13
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 2

Mawphniang Napoleon

Mawphniang is a person who is always striving to live life to the fullest. He is someone who is always open to new ideas and ways of living and is unafraid to take risks in order to explore the unknown. He is passionate about life and is always looking for ways to make use of his time and energy. He has an inquisitive nature, and is always looking for answers to life's mysteries and questions. Though Mawphniang does not pretend to have all the answers, he is determined to taste life and live a simple life, without overcomplicating things. He's a person who appreciates the small moments and cherishes the little things in life. He enjoys spending time in nature, exploring the world, and connecting with people. He is a person who is always up for a new adventure and never stops learning. He is on a daily journey of self-discovery, trying to make sense of the world and his place in it. more…

All Mawphniang Napoleon poems | Mawphniang Napoleon Books

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1 Comment
  • luisestable1
    What is to like about this poem is to one thinks that the pessimistic tone is to endure, but then the poem offers an optimistic outlook at life. For me the here and now is what counts. The after is unknown. And all who go never come back to tell us of the beyond.
    Good stuff! 
    LikeReply1 year ago
    • Mawphniang_Napoleon
      Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the poem. It's true that the poem initially presents a pessimistic tone, but it's also refreshing to see that it offers a positive outlook on life. It's important to focus on the present and make the most out of every moment. While the afterlife remains a mystery, we can still find meaning and purpose in our current existence. The poem reminds us to embrace life and make the most of it, rather than dwelling on the unknown beyond. 
      LikeReply1 year ago

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"Ephemeral Musings: A Poem on the Inevitability of Change and the Impermanence of Life" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/152955/ephemeral-musings:-a-poem-on-the-inevitability-of-change-and-the-impermanence-of-life>.

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