POETRY | FREE VERSE

The Schopenhauer Effect

Surely there must be more to life than this

To say that all we desire: Procreate and then die! Death is all that awaits me then —

My memory will fade with no offspring to emulate me No one will say, she’s just like her mother

No, no one will praise these ghastly hands nor this bitter mouth nor these sheets of words worn raw and bloodied

My own selfish claw ripped away any hope of excellence No amount of labor will bear my likeness — No colony of bees will swarm to protect my womb

No, not for me —

I will die as I have lived alone and lonely upon this earth forgotten, forgotten and give my last breath to Death

©2020 Lori Carlson. All Rights Reserved.

Arthur Schopenhauer was a German philosopher and often considered to be quite pessimistic. His view on sexuality was that mankind is led by desires, the need to procreate and then die. Interestingly enough, he was celibate his entire life, probably because he had a disdain for women and found sex to be one of those pesky human desires.

Lori Carlson writes poetry, fiction, articles, creative non-fiction and personal essays. Most of her topics are centered around Relationships, Spirituality, Nature, Life Lessons, Mental Health, and the LGBTQ+ community. Check out her personal Medium blog — Ravyne’s Nest.