Stanley Kubrick for Look Magazine, 1949
She holds the tension in her shoulders.
We all do;
along with the weight
of all the decisions
yet to be made.
Yes or no,
left or right,
forward or back.
A lifetime depends
on each and every one.
And now when you are old
looking back to 17
would you choose differently?
What would you change?
Where was the hinge that
swung your life?
Can you turn back
and follow your life line
like string through a labyrinth,
back to the starting point,
to the place
where it all
changed?
Your poem struck a chord .. at 17 I met my future husband, the father of my four children. I would not change one minute, would not choose any other.
ReplyDeleteOf course! I've seen pictures of your wonderful family, thanks to Sherry. :o)
DeleteChange one thing and it all comes crumbling down, some nope, would not
ReplyDeleteRight, just the The Butterfly Effect.
DeleteYes, go back and change our choices, but we can only change in the present, is a very interesting topic! Best regards!
ReplyDeleteRight, of course. Thank you Leovi.
DeleteGood visual in the last stanza, supporting your question, and flows well from start to mark. ~ M
ReplyDeleteThank you Mark.
DeleteI doubt many would. Nice one.
ReplyDeleteAnd who knows what it actually would change or not. Thanks Anthony. :o)
Deleteif only we could you know...but then again, pulling that knot, you need to wonder what else might unravel....it is interesting to ponder though...smiles.
ReplyDeleteRight Brian, unintended consequences.
DeleteAll comes back to the big 'If Only'...Perhaps it's better to stick with the 'What Next?'as that has to look forward, not back. :)
ReplyDeleteVery wise Penny. Of course you're right.
DeleteI wouldn't go back for anything.
ReplyDeleteExcellent. Somehow that doesn't surprise me.
DeleteI know exactly the point in 17 where my life changed. I met the young man who would become my husband. Love this!
ReplyDeleteWow, that's very cool Susie. And thank you!
DeleteWhat a poignant poem. It is paired so perfectly with the image. What if we could go back? There are limitless possible endings.
ReplyDeleteYes...volumes and volumes! Thank you WG!
DeleteLooking back that far, I see a lamb to the slaughter. Given my lack of smarts, it's no surprise it took a while to realize I was, in fact, living a life. Hee hee. Intriguing topic!
ReplyDeleteSame here Sherry. ;-) Thanks
Delete"...the place where it all changed'' beautiful reflection... I feel like there have been many points of change throughout my life... each new turn opened to something unexpected, sometimes scary, but ultimately for growth.
ReplyDeleteAnd all making us want we are today. Thank you Laura.
DeleteWell, I had my daughter at 17 (but divorced her dad 5 years later) certainly was a huge change in my life......all worked out okay in the end!
ReplyDelete:o) I just chose 17 sort of randomly. It seemed like the people in the photo could be that age, etc. It seems that 17 has been a pivotal age for several people here.
DeleteI love your ending! My daughter is 17 now ;D
ReplyDeleteNo, I wouldn't have changed it...
I love this line:
" Where was the hinge that
swung your life?"
Odd, but death was the hinge that swung my life.
It changes the rules
Nicely done!
Ah, now that's quite a hinge. Thank you Ella.
DeleteThis was delicious, and yes, I can trace my life changing back to the moment I conceptualized myself as a writer. Love love loved this.
ReplyDeleteThanks Buddah, cool that you can remember that.
DeleteI read this morning in the science magazines that the same areas of our brains that recall the past are used to imagine the future. The memory of some addictions arise in the present to bring us cues for craving.
ReplyDeleteNow while in most cases the very young can imagine easily open futures and the elders living in the present may have a hard time remembering details of the past... the article said we in a sense are like subjective time travelers.
So, with the local scenery of your photo I think of Peggy Sue Got Married but in a way time itself can be like this... and the creators of words expand the limits of our world--- imagine future pasts if our worlds can be so limited...
That's quite interesting. Makes me wish I was better about keeping a journal!
DeleteAnd so it was...thoughtful piece...
ReplyDeleteThank you Tess.
DeleteI so love this!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mama Z!
DeleteInventive and wise...
ReplyDeleteThank you Berowne. :o)
DeleteWhere was the hinge that swung your life? - love this line!
ReplyDeleteThanks Robyn!
DeleteI was 16 when my life changed as you describe.
ReplyDeleteI loved this take on the prompt.
=)
Interesting Sue, thanks!
DeleteVery fine inception , Ariadne !, love your writing ( did i just sound like Berowne?)
ReplyDeleteHahaha - thanks! You might have just a bit, though he would never call me Ariadne. :o)
DeleteHi Mary, My first time here and I really like the depth of soul and level of investigation in this piece - I will be back again... Regards Scott www.scotthastie.com
ReplyDeleteThank you Scott. I'll have a look at your writing as well.
DeleteCheers