when Emily said
Success is counted sweetest
she may have been looking
at her neighbor’s lawn
from her parlor window
and thinking
how much Greener those Blades-
but success is not in looking
and thinking about another
(said the poet about the critic)
as much as I like watching
the Academy Awards
that’s not a measure of success
Martin Scorsese should have
a dozen Oscars on his mantle
people should be joking
that his middle name is Oscar
and How Green Was My Valley
is not a better film than Citizen Kane
the success of my students
is not my success
I am only a helper a guide
someone in service to them
I may teach a good lesson
even a series of them
but my students’ learning
is the measure of our mutual success
as a teacher
I may even think
I’ve had a successful year
but then another class
will fill my room
next September
I’m still not sure
when I’ll be able to say
I’m a successful father
/ / /
More thoughts on conveying a truth about success and/or failure. I clearly have been thinking a lot about success. This is the second poem I’ve written to this same prompt, which may be a first for me. You may read yesterday’s poem, or the lack thereof, for comparison/contrast.
I adore the first stanza. Then, watching how you shift to reach the final point. The transitions are interesting. I have a feeling there’s another poem lurking. Not sure why, Richard, but it feels like you have more to say. We’ll see!
Margo, thank you. That first stanza was fun to write – my jumping off point. It’s funny, I almost posted a sentence that I had other thoughts banging around in the attic. You are very astute, my friend.
I love this wandering, pondering so much, Richard. We all question our own success, and its many measures, constantly, don’t we?
De, thank you. Yes, my other poem was more focused – trying to follow a line of thought. Glad you liked the wandering, pondering nature of this one. I had to comment on some of the many measures of my life.