I’d like to think
that the shadows of history
wouldn’t have been cast by me
had I been there
at those crucial points of the past
yet I wonder
will future generations
look and say,
“what long shadows he cast…
thinking he was enlightened?”
~~
Today at dVerse, we are playing with shadows. This prompt got me thinking: all the sins of history are easy enough to condemn…but had I lived at the time, knowing only what my forefathers knew at the time, would I have been any better? Will future generations condemn this generation for sins that we are committing without realizing it?
Quest for Whirled Peas 
Love the play of “enlightened” and shadow here, especially, Bryan. A great question we should all perhaps ponder.
Will we ever know if we will be shadows or beacons when seen from the future… really thought provoking.
That’s a question I often ask myself. I love the wordplay in the final line – contrasting shadow and enlightenment. Very clever.
Very thoughtful reflection, Bryan. What mistakes have I made, unknown to me, that have had a lasting effect. I think of those butterfly wings in South America.
A philosophical quadrille this week, Bryan. We all cast shadows of history – some are more aware of their shadows than others..
I don’t ask myself questions like that. I’d be huddled in bed, or rather under it, for fear of upsetting the world more than it is in my blundering to do good. I just blunder forth.
I think it’s a given that future generations will look back at us and think we did a poor job.
Something I think also… Well done!
I wonder this, also. Very well encapsulated in 44 words.
I love the dash of wisdom here.. a thought provoking write 💖
Probably we will get the same blame as well. Hindsight comes to us too late. Good question raised here Bryan !
The irony is not lost on or to me.
The call of the “legends in our own minds” thinking we might have set it all right.
The shadow of “if only we could have or were there, then maybe”.
It’s enough to handle today. They laugh thinking that as Monday morning quarterbacks, our shadowy reach would have made a difference.
They know who we are kidding.
Randy
A thought provoking piece.
An interesting thought there – casting shadows when we think we have the light. It really makes you think.
There is an oddness about the enlightened casting shadows over history.
Perhaps we will never catch up to our intentions …or….our intentions will never be good enough as long as we continue to fail humanity. So many things to ponder here. Love the philosophical thoughts you raise in this quadrille.
a very very wise quadrille, Bryan! Indeed!
Wow. Deep thinking, Bryan. And very reflective, too.
A deep and thoughtful poem, Bryan. Excellent question. Hindsight is always 20-20 I’m afraid.
sMiLes..
my friEnd..
alWays
Hope for
A longer shadow ‘forE liGht..:)
Interesting question to ponder, Bryan, could we have brought about a different outcome by our presence? I do love a good philosophical quadrille!
Excellent piece. Such depth and truth expressed here.
interesting question at the end, it leaves the reader pondering.
Very good question. It is so easy to judge others without wanting to look within at our own sinfulness.
It made me smile, if a little wryly. We’ll never know.