Image: Danny Gregory
Life comes with challenges
Youth, health, learning,
Age, no energy, death.
So much is promised,
The world is your oyster
Its there for the taking.
But taking is easier said than done.
What if circumstance prevents
Youth, learning, growth
What if through no fault of yours
Everything goes pear shaped
Not round like a bagel
Not tasty, not nourishing
What if when you bite into your bagel of life
You get a mouthful of onion?
Written for: http://dversepoets.com/2015/02/10/poetics-writing-to-the-art-of-danny-gregory/

Great ending! Onion bagels are fine if you eat them with something else, and have a toothbrush nearby. Otherwise… You certainly made your point with this metaphor.
Thank you Gabriella, this was an excellent challenge by the way. Lots of stories and ideas to come from Danny’s work.
Spit ’em out and get another flavor! Excellent write about how life doesn’t always go as it “should”.
Thank you so much.
You have said a mouthful in your poem, Michael. (smiles) Yes, sometimes one seeks that nourishment in life and ends up with the onions whose aftertastes linger on and on. Life has its challenges….and its disappointments. The ‘onions’ may be okay upon first crunch, but hours later not so much. We all hope for more nourishment and taste & less obnoxious aftertaste. Ha, we all live in hope. SO good to se you again, Michael.
Thank you Mary, this was a great challenge. Yes life has its onion moments but we soldier on as they say.
I don’t like onions so I will spit out and finish off my bagel ~ I think one has just to deal with the odds & “untasteful” side of life ~ I like the metaphor Michael ~ Good to see you~
Thanks Grace. Thanks for the warm welcome back.
much of life is out of our hands…what of kids born to third world countries that do not have the same opportunity as others…we make of it what we will…and there will be those that strive despite the circumstances…actually i think not having life hand it to you on a platter, is a good thing…
So true Brian. Through struggle and pain we grow. Thanks for stopping by.
,,,well you would get bath breath and journey in search of a garlic or onion eater 😉
I guess that’s one way of looking at it. Imagine the search though…lol…..thanks Oliana.
the last line made me smile…
Thank you glad I could do that.
Call me weird, but I like onion bagels, onion buns, and lots of other onion stuff; life can give me a mouthful anytime… lucky I’m typing this and not saying it in your face… hahaha….
Yes well I had a mate years ago who ate them as if they were apples. Thanks Anthony for looking away as you typed. Appreciate your comment.
The bagel of life can be delicious or stale, hard or soft…..
An onion bagel is okay, if you don’t focus on the onion, but enjoy whatever else is served with it – roast beef, leftover Irish stew, pumpkin soup. It’s is a bit like life – don’t focus on the bad stuff; concentrate on the good stuff 🙂
Gotta develop a taste of onion! LOL. I love “the bagel of life”. This was fun to read!
Thank you Sherry, glad you enjoyed your visit.
I know what you mean. Life isn’t always easy and we’re not always in complete control. The onions are usually plentiful. I enjoyed reading this commentary on life from the perspective of a bagel.
Ha.. I like a little onion in my life .. But I prefer if other eat less 😉 great metaphor of bagels here Michael
yeah – life is a risky business and you never know exactly what the next bite might bring….
Good thing I like onions and bagels. Wow, you have been busy today Michael. 🙂
Thank you Jackie, you could say I have far too much time on my hands. But its been a fun day as always…
As long as you enjoy what you do and have the time, why not? Good for you!
For thse of us who like onion, that wouldn’t be so bad, but I can tell by the tine of your poem that You are not one of us!
Cooked I loved it. Raw not so. Thanks so much for stopping by and coming out as an onion lover…lol
Life’s bagel can be an unpleasant surprise but we might improve it by what we spread on…thanks for spreading your poetry around, Michael!
Thank you so much Lynn, I appreciate you stopping by.
Creative use of the prompt. So true that although we have the world in front of us, we can’t always access it the way we want to. There are always circumstances beyond our control.