Birthday

[rhymetime]

It has always been a mystery to me
this celebration of birthday.
As if we had accomplished something
deserving of self congratulation.

Give us gifts, cakes, candles.
We showed up amidst pain.
We showed up amidst fear and uncertainty.
Celebrate us.

Throw us a party, invite our friends.
Let there be clowns, ponies to ride,
pointy hats and whistles to blow.
We showed up, celebrate us.

We didn’t choose to,
we simply arrived.
Is that to our credit,
worthy of life long praise?

Who then shall we celebrate on the day of our birth?
Perhaps those who joined together,
no matter their motivation,
that we might have a birthday.

I don’t know you...
But...
Thank you!!

[grant hayes]

A pure spring, beautifully channelled.

[rhymetime]

Thank you my friend, Your comments always mean so much to me

[lunar glide]

Excellent. I agree about birthdays but never thought to express it this way.😁

[rhymetime]

Thank you. I have long had this thought and wished to express it poetically. Yesterday I was frantically searching for a gift for a dear friend's birthday. Suddenly it just came to me. I pulled off the road and quickly wrote it down. I did find the perfect gift. As I gave him the gift I shared the poem. He agreed but kept the gift. We laughed. He too will buy me a gift for my birthday and i will readily accept it. No point letting a philosophy get in the way of nice gifts

[Suz-zen]

This is a fascinating introspective poem on birth... celebrate our parents? a miracle of breath? our lungs or beating hearts?

The second stanza I found the most compelling and it spoke to me. Wonderfully thoughtful, rhymetime
(and how about that happy birthday song? can you feel more awkward during that?)

Give us gifts, cakes, candles.
We showed up amidst pain.
We showed up amidst fear and uncertainty.
Celebrate us.

[rhymetime]

Thank you, I covet your thoughts.
The older i get the more i appreciate my parents. They gave me life and taught me to be who I am. Were it not for them i would not have a birthday.
I agree about the song but i guess it really isn't about me. It is about the well wishers, the joy on their faces as they celabrate me. How can i be other than grateful?

[AnatoliyS]

Very thoughtful poem!

We showed up amidst pain.
We showed up amidst fear and uncertainty.
Celebrate us.

Indeed!

[rhymetime]

Thank you for spending some time with this verse. I so appreciate your comments.

[Bobby Del Boy]

I agree with all above. Graititude for those who gave you the gift of life is admirable and noble. Happy Gratitude Day!

[rhymetime]

I love "Happy Gratitude Day". I suspect that Thanksgiving was started with that in mind. Although it seems we should be thankful to god on that day. Mabe we need a Gratiude to each other day.

[Parkinsonspoet]

Rhymetime Great poem but I disagree yes you should celebrate your parents but each one of us is special and deserves a special day grant hayes AnatoliyS Bobby Del Boy Suz-zen lunar glide

You are a present
You are a gift
Different opinion
Won't cause a rift

Everyone is special
and deserves
A special day
We all reserve

Celebrate individuality
Celebrate personality
Celebrate your loyalty
Celebrate our love for thee

A day not for sedition
A day for recognition
A day a condition
We all must use cognition

The world needs more
Not less birthdays
Cheer our differences
Give overdue praise

[rhymetime]

I asked you once if i could share with you what you inspire in me. This is a perfect example. You never fail to express honest disagreement. You always do so with kindness and grace. You always offer a different perspective and it is always a perspective worth consideration.
I truely appreciate your honesty. I know when you comment it is a true and thoughtfull response.
thank you my friend

[Muttado1sb]

You arrived not by choice
but perservered for another year
striving to continue
what you didn't start
Why not celebrate?
Why not commemorate
your achievement?
Let there be festivities
accept the felicitations
enjoy your success at living
Life is to be lived
why not have fun on occasion?

- Though I disagree with the sentiment of your poem, it is very well done, rhymetime!

[rhymetime]

You are so kind. I completely agree with your thoughts and your verse. Greater than that i appreciate your willingness to disagree. Your thoughts have given me pause for thought.

[AnatoliyS]

Interesting points, Parkinsonspoet and Muttado1sb . I am still in agreement with rhymetime though – I am not celebrating my birthday for 13 years now and I find that I am able living more today and less in anticipation of a day that might not arrive.

Muttado1sb , you write "why not have fun on occasion?" – why not have fun every single day, like its the last? Why wait 364 days to celebrate on 365th? One year we will find ourselves waiting in vain, not quite reaching the "magical" date... Our true essence is not born into a body to walk the earth a little while and be laid to rest – what day should we celebrate the Love which we Are?

[rhymetime]

AnatollyS,
It never occured to me that this simple verse would stimulate such thoughtfulness. I agree with you completely, We best celebrate "now" as then might not be available to us. Your comment remains me that i need to assure that I leave love behind me every moment . I may not have another chance.

[Muttado1sb]

AnatoliyS, I knew that line would cause question, but I wrote and posted it quickly last night. My thought is, if every day were special than no day would be special. (For those with children of the right age, ''Happy Independence Day, it's Christmas, again!'') Yes, have fun every day. Live every day as if it might be your last. But why not have a special celebration for the days we survive the earth's complete circumnavigation of the sun while we've been riding it - our own, personal New Year's Day!

[AnatoliyS]

Muttado1sb, why not indeed! You are right, if every day is special then no day is special, which is precisely the goal for me. However, "for me" is the keyword here! When YOUR birthday calls for celebration, celebrate! And if you'd ask me to celebrate your birthday with you, how could I refuse? Who am I to tell others how to live their lives – I am barely figuring out my own, and part of my own "figuring out" process is not celebrating all holidays, including my birthday.

[Jalanelee]

How are you going to celebrate your birthday?