68

On By ELLEIn poetry

I’ve been in pursuit of success
so much that I wouldn’t recognize it
if it were handed to me.

Aspirations that grew into
expectations, malignant
and expanding beyond me
everyday.

I’ve always feared broke billions.
Debt free but benign,
nothing past due and yet
no memories to share.

For all the times I bought tickets
and figured out the details later,
let’s promise to make time for
the things that make us rich
even if they don’t
make us money.

36 thoughts on “68”

  1. This piece may have a different meaning but to me it paints a familiar picture. I’ve been chasing my dreams for so long without knowing what it actually is, I being walking down a road hoping it’ll get me somewhere, somewhere worth the journey. I am sure I want so much money but I want much more happiness. Thanks for this beautiful piece.

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  3. As we go through life, life can go through us and we sometimes don’t recognize success and richness when it lands at our feet. We search for happiness in all the wrong places. Money and richness are two different things and your poem portrays that there is a difference. A difference that not everyone recognizes. Beautifully written from the heart. I love it and its deep meaning. Stan

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  6. You got it. You can always make money (and if you don’t already have it, you probably always will have to) but will not always be able to see elephants on the savanna, bungee jump, touch a dolphin, smile recalling lovers, hike into the Grand Canyon, barf out Ayahuasca and ask for more….you get the pic.
    Always on your squad, Mark

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  9. Truest message for a young life , love, health and friendship cannot be bought and yet those are the gifts you’ll remember in the end ❤️ Money comes and money goes, be smart about about it , but it works for you. Don’t ever become it’s slave ! Thanks for another beauty 🤗

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  14. Good Monday morning message, Elle. Thank you. I try to “make time for the things that make [me] rich – even if they don’t
make [me] money,” and this is a great reminder!

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  19. The Graphite Syringe

    This topic has been circulating my conscience for the past several months. Reading this is like getting permission to feed those thoughts and pardon any shame I shrowded them in.

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  23. Beautifully penned as always, Elle. I like how you deal with the issues of success and money in such a competitive world where people are valued for what they have and not for who they are. The final message of your piece is very eloquent and powerful:

    “let’s promise to make time for
    the things that make us rich
    even if they don’t
    make us money.”

    The problem is that this is only possible when our basic needs are met. This is a very impacting post written by my artist-writer (also poet) friend Mario Savioni, which I highly recommend you: “I hear in the back of my head the story of elderly, who are committing crimes, so that they can go to jail to get three meals a day and housing”, from: https://savioni.wordpress.com/2019/02/02/three-meals-a-day-and-housing/

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