CENTRAL PARK
Who can change the course of history?
Who can stop the wheels of time?
Think you can?
Think they can?
Who is they?
And who are you to presume?
History is a mystery
Questions like these and many more,
bounce off the thin layer of surface water
that fills the depths of the reservoir in Central Park.
While it is quite necessary to investigate the lectionary,
Never should one doubt,
there are absolutes,
there are unchanging laws.
There‘s right and wrong,
there’s Ten Commandments,
miraculously carved in stone.
There’s the way of light and the way of darkness,
and you’re free to choose,
take your pick,
light or dark,
or take from both.
But human souls need human comforting,
We’ve all wandered far from home…
On a rotting bench, close to Central Park West,
sitting proper is Rosemary a retired secretary.
Her mind races from through to thought,
used to precision, speed and so forth.
But now quite old she’s not as bold and not as fast,
so when Augusts’ nights shine bright with Augusts’ lightning,
she still sits alone under the rain and
through her ears travels the rhythm and the cadence
of an old, old song, always the same.
I stood one clear January morning
near The Castle in Central Park,
and snow covered the ground,
I thought of summer
and not a question crossed my mind.
C.2021, Francisco Bravo Cabrera, 20 NOV 2021/30 AUG 2025, València, Spain/Izmir, Türkiye
JaZzArt en València 
What a beautifully layered piece! 🌟 It flows like a blend of poetry, philosophy, and storytelling all at once. The opening questions immediately pull the reader into deep reflection about history, time, and our place in it. Then the grounding of absolutes—the Ten Commandments, light and dark—gives the piece both weight and direction.
The imagery of Central Park is so vivid—the reservoir, the rotting bench, Rosemary lost in thought, August lightning, and the Castle in winter. Each scene feels cinematic, capturing the fleeting fragility of human life against timeless truths. The rhythm and cadence echo like the «old, old song» mentioned, making the piece haunting yet comforting.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
I thank you Sir, very much for that beautiful and in depth analysis of my poem. I truly appreciate your words and contribution to this piece which actually is about someone I knew. All the best to you.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
Your poem, beautifully written, brought back memories of my times of walking through the park, and friends that I walked with. But, like any good poem, you take us both into ourselves, and outward to see the world, and our place in it differently.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
So glad it brought you find memories and I truly appreciate your words. Thank you!
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
Lots of threads and scenes on this tightly woven poem, Francisco.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
Thank you Pat!
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
Very welcome, Francisco.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona