A Touchstone Test In Literature Poem by Terence George Craddock

There is an old saying in sport
you are only as good as your last...
game but in thoughts literature
you are as good as your best;

writer poet novelist is as good as best
writing aspired to this is the touchstone,
the benchmark the height set bar attained
in literature the writer the poet the novelist;

may be remembered for just one short
story novella novel poem drama all else,
may become secondary to 'The old Man

and the Sea' just one piece remembered;
above all else this is our summit Everest
our Noble Prize all else becomes lost...

in comparison
except to the passion,
the appreciation
the love the adoration;

of hard core fans
for the rest the candle,
flame may burn
for but a few or one;

summit piece read
but the ignored rest,
by many discarded

is back bones we built,
our struggle climb upon
an All Black cuts his teeth;

upon club rugby internationals
then tests but finally may be defined,
by all caps all records plus his test
of tests thus also in literature our summit;

touchstone test of tests
will be when heart soul mind,
combine to produce
an elixir which shall define us;

above all else will define
the heart the mind the pen,
that aspired to be an immortal moment

a brief flash in time defined;
best I can write ever for all of my life
this piece seals our literary legacy


Copyright © Terence George Craddock