The Phases of Man

The Phases of Man

Extracted from the Unknown, a cycle begins anew,
A baby, dependent, in a world vast and blue.
Grows into a child with laughter and cries,
Under watchful eyes, beneath the wide skies.

An adolescent next, with dreams and fears,
Rebelling, seeking, through the formative years.
A son, who looks up, then eye to eye,
Sees the hero in his father under the same sky.

A husband emerges in the dance of fate,
He finds love, holds it close, and steps through that gate.
Then a father, with a burden, heavy and grand,
Time slipping like countless grains of sand.

A grandfather, wisdom in his gaze,
Sees the circle of life through the haze.
The chance to imprint on the morrow's wake,
Legacy and love, for his progeny's sake.

Forgotten but not gone, in the grandson's eyes,
The cycle continues under the same skies.
Returned to the Unknown, where it all began,
Each phase, each step, in the life of a man.

Author's notes about where this came from... ▼

Yesterday... oh, this is why the song started that way... I was thinking about a man's stages/ life phases. You say, "What in the world are you talking about, Joey?"

Well, I once was a grandson, but that ended back in 1980 when my grandfather and name-sake died on the night of that year's first day. That next morning, I was no longer his grandson.

After contemplating what is important in life, I constructed a list of each of the ten stages or phases in the existence of a man (male human). They are as follows, in as near a form as I can condense.

1. Extracted from the Unknown
2. A baby: Who depends on everyone
3. A Child: less needy but still requires close supervision
4. An Adolescent: Egar and rebellious, always looking for fun
5. A Son: Rediscovers his father, though not the hero he once was
6. A Husband Finds that thing we call love. Takes the chance on happiness.
7. A Father: The weight and responsibility on his shoulders bears down, working, working, there is no time to be found
8. A Grandfather: Realizes the last opportunity to leave a mark is getting near and discovers the genuine reasons to wake on the morrow
9. Forgotten: Gone from the daily for all but a grandson.
10. Returned to the Unknown, where it all began.

The days have gone by hurriedly. Now, I am no longer a baby, a child, a grandson, or a son! Dead are those who would have used such nouns. So, with these phases in mind, I offer the following almost rhymes.

I chose an ABAB rhyme scheme, hoping to meld form with function. This consistent structure not only lends a musicality to the reading experience but subtly ties together the poem's distinct thematic sections. By choosing such a pattern, I am trying to give the poem a sense of continuity and connection across the phases of life depicted, mirroring the ongoing and interconnected nature of human experiences. Though I sometimes thought it might lean more toward a funeral dirge.

This approach is both classical and effective, emphasizing the cyclical progression from birth to adulthood and, finally, to the role of a parent in a manner that is accessible and resonant. This rhyme scheme reinforces the poem's overarching message about the universality and inevitability of life's phases, hopefully rendering my reflections on maturity and family bonds more poignant and impactful.

It is important to note that I did not understand any of these things six months ago. My skills today notwithstanding, I am learning to write about my feelings in more detail.