Image Credit: BirdyVersedays comes out early today. Actually I made a mistake in putting the date. Instead of Thursday I put today's date. But it's a change. Why follow routine always? :)
Today's poem struck me with its beauty and depth of message. All of us have had regrets at some point in time. We have wished that we had done something better or pursued something long enough. When I came upon Jorge Luis Borges' poem 'Instants,' these thoughts were swirling in my head. His words spoke to me personally and instantly made me think. It's also got the theme of carpe diem running through it as Borges urges us to "live the now!" I couldn't agree more. Here is the poem, hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I did.
Instants
by
Jorge Luis Borges
If I could live again my life,
In the next - I'll try,
- to make more mistakes,
I won't try to be so perfect,
I'll be more relaxed,
I'll be more full - than I am now,
In fact, I'll take fewer things seriously,
I'll be less hygenic,
I'll take more risks,
I'll take more trips,
I'll watch more sunsets,
I'll climb more mountains,
I'll swim more rivers,
I'll go to more places - I've never been,
I'll eat more ice creams and less (lime) beans,
I'll have more real problems - and less imaginary
ones,
I was one of those people who live
prudent and prolific lives -
each minute of his life,
Of course that I had moments of joy - but,
if I could go back I'll try to have only good moments,
If you don't know - thats what life is made of,
Don't lose the now!
I was one of those who never goes anywhere
without a thermometer,
without a hot-water bottle,
and without an umberella and without a parachute,
If I could live again - I will travel light,
If I could live again - I'll try to work bare feet
at the beginning of spring till
the end of autumn,
I'll ride more carts,
I'll watch more sunrises and play with more children,
If I have the life to live - but now I am 85,
- and I know that I am dying ...
by
Jorge Luis Borges
If I could live again my life,
In the next - I'll try,
- to make more mistakes,
I won't try to be so perfect,
I'll be more relaxed,
I'll be more full - than I am now,
In fact, I'll take fewer things seriously,
I'll be less hygenic,
I'll take more risks,
I'll take more trips,
I'll watch more sunsets,
I'll climb more mountains,
I'll swim more rivers,
I'll go to more places - I've never been,
I'll eat more ice creams and less (lime) beans,
I'll have more real problems - and less imaginary
ones,
I was one of those people who live
prudent and prolific lives -
each minute of his life,
Of course that I had moments of joy - but,
if I could go back I'll try to have only good moments,
If you don't know - thats what life is made of,
Don't lose the now!
I was one of those who never goes anywhere
without a thermometer,
without a hot-water bottle,
and without an umberella and without a parachute,
If I could live again - I will travel light,
If I could live again - I'll try to work bare feet
at the beginning of spring till
the end of autumn,
I'll ride more carts,
I'll watch more sunrises and play with more children,
If I have the life to live - but now I am 85,
- and I know that I am dying ...
PS: Borges died two years after writing this poem...
Wonderful poem, Birdy! So beautiful! I loved the line - "I'll have more real problems - and less imaginary ones" :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this lovely, inspiring poem!
What a beautiful poem! Almost makes you wonder that if there indeed was such a thing has reincarnation, you would know all this in some distant part of your brain rather than start so completely afresh and make the same mistakes all over again. It actually takes immense effort to live in the moment. That is why it is all the more sweet.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this Birdy. Love this poem! Nothing is more difficult than living in the now. We, however, are such wonderful beings that we love to brood on the past and think of the future. Ah, but neither past nor future exists...does it?
ReplyDeleteVishy - Thanks, great that you enjoyed the poem :) I loved it's sense of hope and regret and resolve :)
ReplyDeleteVaishnavi - Yes, but living in the moment is easier said than done for most of us :)
Soul - The future at least is in the now, so all the more reason to live now :D
Such a beautiful poem, I especially love this line:
ReplyDelete"I'll have more real problems - and less imaginary
ones"!
Hehe, just saw that Vishy quoted that line, too! Great minds . . ;)
ReplyDeleteBina - Lol great minds truly who can sit in different corners of the world and muse on the same line! :D
ReplyDeletehis name is not jose luis borges, it's Jorge Luis Borges
ReplyDeletegreat poem
by the way, this poem does not belong to Jorge Luis Borges. It is most likely that this poem belongs to Nadine Stair or Don Herold. Borges' style is very different from the poem shown above
ReplyDeletePlease change the name. It's Jorge, not Jose.
ReplyDelete