There comes a time
Said of aspirants,
Your contribution
Has now scant merit,
Hence undermines
What be of worth,
And clutters mind
With offered dearth,
Of views passé
Bears draw the line,
To thus oblige
New age opine,
With neoteric bent
For uncluttered time,
Begs liberal mention
Of enlightened genre…
Alas be of what purpose
Weathered contributions,
Declared be of scant merit!
– a reflection on man’s eventual worth,
while questioning his legacy
of today’s world state –
© Jean-Jacques Fournier
Poetry on a canapé 
“Alas be of what purpose…” to me, these words encompass our most deepest concern. We have been given life, but the question that arises – what then? And from that question, so many more arise. What is our legacy? How do we want to be remembered? Or is it important that we are remembered? What was the worth of our life? This is a powerful poem. For we are torn between ego and longing. In the end, what we will remember is the connections that we made and the love that we gave and the love that we received.
Dear Rebecca… I do indeed like the way you read and interpreted my words. It pleases me no end how you express my observations, by giving it more than one face and interpretation. As a sidebar… at times when people hear me referred to as a poet, and ask what kind of poetry I write, my Marianne is quick to reply that my style of writing is quite often rather a Picasso-ish abstract style of poetry, and at times I suppose she is right. Oh well, as the saying goes… different strokes for different folks!
So I thank you dear friend, for the accolade, your marvellous insight, and the perceptive other face you have given this poem! This is something I can always only hope to achieve. Jean-Jacques
Brilliant. Can’t improve on what clanmother said re: “…of what purpose…” Beautiful.
Thank you again Paulette, and of Rebecca’s response quite so, but your echo of those sentiments reenforces my reflection on man and his questionable legacy. Jean-Jacques