Eternal Return

Across time,


an infant's hand grasps

my wrinkled finger,


seeking its mastery

of the pain to come.





AUTHOR'S NOTE: This poem is based on the eschatological doctrine of Eternal Return, as championed by several philosophers, perhaps most prominently by Friedrich Nietzsche. Under this doctrine, we all live our lives over and over again. I have often thought that I would do a lot better if I could start my life over while retaining my memories from this present iteration (a la Groundhog Day). However, under the doctrine of Eternal Return, one's memories are erased at the start of each iteration.