• Submit Poetry
  • Support SCP
  • About Us
  • Members
  • Join
Thursday, October 22, 2026
Society of Classical Poets
  • Poems
    • Beauty
    • Culture
    • Satire
    • Humor
    • Children’s
    • Art
    • Ekphrastic
    • Epic
    • Epigrams and Proverbs
    • Human Rights in China
    • Music
    • Performing Arts
    • Riddles
    • Science
    • Song Lyrics
    • The Environment
    • The Raven
    • Found Poems
    • High School Poets
    • Terrorism
    • Covid-19
  • Poetry Forms
    • Sonnet
    • Haiku
    • Limerick
    • Villanelle
    • Rondeau
    • Pantoum
    • Sestina
    • Triolet
    • Acrostic
    • Alexandroid
    • Alliterative
    • Blank Verse
    • Chant Royal
    • Clerihew
    • Rhupunt
    • Rondeau Redoublé
    • Rondel
    • Rubaiyat
    • Sapphic Verse
    • Shape Poems
    • Terza Rima
  • Great Poets
    • Geoffrey Chaucer
    • Emily Dickinson
    • Homer
    • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
    • Dante Alighieri
    • John Keats
    • John Milton
    • Edgar Allan Poe
    • William Shakespeare
    • William Wordsworth
    • William Blake
    • Robert Frost
  • Love Poems
  • Contests
  • SCP Academy
    • Educational
    • Teaching Classical Poetry—A Guide for Educators
    • Poetry Forms
    • The SCP Journal
    • Books
No Result
View All Result
Society of Classical Poets
  • Poems
    • Beauty
    • Culture
    • Satire
    • Humor
    • Children’s
    • Art
    • Ekphrastic
    • Epic
    • Epigrams and Proverbs
    • Human Rights in China
    • Music
    • Performing Arts
    • Riddles
    • Science
    • Song Lyrics
    • The Environment
    • The Raven
    • Found Poems
    • High School Poets
    • Terrorism
    • Covid-19
  • Poetry Forms
    • Sonnet
    • Haiku
    • Limerick
    • Villanelle
    • Rondeau
    • Pantoum
    • Sestina
    • Triolet
    • Acrostic
    • Alexandroid
    • Alliterative
    • Blank Verse
    • Chant Royal
    • Clerihew
    • Rhupunt
    • Rondeau Redoublé
    • Rondel
    • Rubaiyat
    • Sapphic Verse
    • Shape Poems
    • Terza Rima
  • Great Poets
    • Geoffrey Chaucer
    • Emily Dickinson
    • Homer
    • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
    • Dante Alighieri
    • John Keats
    • John Milton
    • Edgar Allan Poe
    • William Shakespeare
    • William Wordsworth
    • William Blake
    • Robert Frost
  • Love Poems
  • Contests
  • SCP Academy
    • Educational
    • Teaching Classical Poetry—A Guide for Educators
    • Poetry Forms
    • The SCP Journal
    • Books
No Result
View All Result
Society of Classical Poets
No Result
View All Result
Home Poetry Beauty

‘Existence’ by David Paul Behrens

July 18, 2020
in Beauty, Poetry
A A
6
poems 'Existence' by David Paul Behrens

 

It’s easier to not exist
And yet existence does persist.
Although I cannot fathom why,
I cannot rest unless I try.

To wonder why or how or when,
Such is the way it’s always been.
As we orbit upon this ball,
It seems odd to exist at all.

 

 

After fifty thousand miles and five years as a hitchhiker, living on the road and streets in towns and cities across America, David Paul Behrens followed with a career as an over the road dispatcher in the trucking industry. He is now retired and living in La Verne, California. His website is davidpaulbehrens.com. 

ShareTweetPin
The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary.
Read Our Comments Policy Here

RandomPoems

‘Valentine’ by Reid McGrath
Poetry

‘Valentine’ by Reid McGrath

February 14, 2015

  For a girl with rosy cheeks I didn’t know when Valentine’s Day was, and didn’t need to. That day...

‘Flodden’ and Other Poetry by James A. Tweedie
Beauty

‘Flodden’ and Other Poetry by James A. Tweedie

January 10, 2021

. Flodden Historical Note: The Battle of Flodden took place between English and Scottish armies on September 9, 1513. The...

Next Post
Poems on Riots and the State of the World: July, 2020

Poems on Riots and the State of the World: July, 2020

‘Love’s Refrain’ by Joseph Charles MacKenzie

'Beauty Should Be Appreciated' by Janice Canerdy

‘Hidden in a Flyer’ by Daniel Magdalen, and Other Poetry on the Persecution of Falun Gong

'Hidden in a Flyer' by Daniel Magdalen, and Other Poetry on the Persecution of Falun Gong

Comments 6

  1. Leo Zoutewelle says:
    6 years ago

    Your poem is light-hearted and clever as well as deeply thoughtful, David,
    thank you, I liked it.

    Reply
    • David Paul Behrens says:
      6 years ago

      Thank you, Leo.

      Reply
  2. David Paul Behrens says:
    6 years ago

    Here is another poem which relates to the Hubble telescope photo above:

    Washington Square Park

    Take a walk in the park
    Long after it gets dark.
    See people left and right
    In the glow of a light.

    With shadows on the street
    Of fellows whom we meet,
    Humanity comes alive
    In those who do survive.

    Noise of the city hums
    As the writers and bums
    Discuss the human race
    While flying through space.

    Hoist the bottle higher
    As we stand ’round the fire
    In the park, in the night,
    The universe in sight.

    David Paul Behrens

    Reply
    • C.B. Anderson says:
      6 years ago

      Strangely, David, the last time I was in Washington Square Park I saw no bottles being raised, but I was offered (for a price) some very aromatic hashish. Yes, the dude accosted me and held the stuff right under my nose. This was probably about fifteen years ago

      Reply
      • C.B. Anderson says:
        6 years ago

        By the way, David, I liked where your poem went. Existence is indeed one of the great mysteries.

        Reply
  3. Peter Hartley says:
    6 years ago

    David – very amusing, very short but with a good kick to it. It reminds me strongly of yesterday, upon the stair, meeting a gentleman who wasn’t there, who wasn’t there again today. `Written, I note, by one of your compatriots though I’ve not heard of him. The subject matter of yours was better.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


  1. jd on ‘Life Lessons from Aunt Ingeborg’ and Other Poetry by Brian YapkoOctober 22, 2026

    Really good, Brian. Both.

  2. Yael on ‘Life Lessons from Aunt Ingeborg’ and Other Poetry by Brian YapkoOctober 22, 2026

    These poems have the feel of old skeletons of near kinship being retrieved from their closets for some pressure washing…

  3. C.B. Anderson on ‘Every New Pantheon’: A Poem by C.B. AndersonOctober 22, 2026

    Well, Alec, thank God for that, and let us pray that the message doesn't upstage whatever inherent beauty it might…

  4. Bhikkhu Nyanasobhano on ‘Life Is Conflictual’: A Poem by Roy E. PetersonOctober 22, 2026

    It's amazing how you continue to find gems of psychological wisdom, Roy, in our everyday experiences. It's healthy, too, to…

  5. Joseph S. Salemi on ‘Life Lessons from Aunt Ingeborg’ and Other Poetry by Brian YapkoOctober 22, 2026

    Brian, I've waited with great anticipation for these poems, and here they are at last! What a wonderful treat for…

Subscribe to Daily Poems

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,660 other subscribers
No Result
View All Result

Resources

       1. A Guide to Writing Poetry

      2. The Best Poems of 2020      

      3. Poetry and Writing Contests

      4. Journals Accepting Formal Verse

Recent Poems

  • ‘Life Lessons from Aunt Ingeborg’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko
  • ‘Foam’: A Poem by Josh Mitteldorf
  • ‘Again Autumnal’: A Poem by K.J. Salzmann
  • ‘Life Is Conflictual’: A Poem by Roy E. Peterson
  • ‘The Siege on Castle Hill’: A Poem by Apollo Clark Co
  • ‘Every New Pantheon’: A Poem by C.B. Anderson
  • ‘Biblical? Emblematic?’: A Poem by Stephen DiLauro
  • ‘The Valley’: A Poem by Briana Reavis
  • The Blobfish—‘Mr Blobby’: A Poem by Paul A. Freeman
  • ‘Nature’s Family’: A Poem by Margaret Coats
  • ‘The River & The Sea’: A Poem by Rohini Sunderam
  • Poems by Derzhavin, Akhmatova, and Tyutchev, Translated by Kevin Rainbow
  • ‘After-Action Report’: A Poem by Joseph S. Salemi
  • ‘The Walking Wounded’: A Poem by Jeffrey Essmann
  • ‘Their Words, My Fault’ and Other Poems by Russel Winick
  • ‘Lazarus I’: A Poem by Jason Hunt
  • Poetry Challenge: Dictionary Delights
  • ‘In Defense of Rhyme’: An Essay by Euphrates Moss
  • ‘Gun Control’: A Poem by Kevin Ahern
  • ‘Power of a Pen’: A Poem by Janice Stanley
  • The Best Haiku of 2026
  • ‘One Night in Bangkok’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko
  • ‘Invocation’: A Poem by D.R. Rainbolt
  • ‘Enjoy the Peace, Prepare for War’: A Poem by Roy E. Peterson
  • Faust Part Two, Act One: ‘A Pleasant Landscape’ by Goethe, Translated by Josh Olson
  • A Song Inspired by Robert Frost’s ‘The Road Not Taken’, by Gunny Markefka
  • ‘Reappraisals of Mortality’: A Poem by C.B. Anderson
  • ‘What Is the Measure of My Days?’: A Poem by Peter Venable
  • ‘Polar Coordinates’: A Poem by Adam Sedia
  • ‘It Never Lies!’: A Poem by Paul A. Freeman

Categories

  • Acrostic
  • Alexandroid
  • Alliterative
  • Art
  • Best Poems
  • Blank Verse
  • Chant Royal
  • Classical Poets Live
  • Clerihew
  • Covid-19
  • Deconstructing Communism
  • Educational
  • Epic
  • Epigrams and Proverbs
  • Essays
    • Interviews with Poets
    • Poetry Reviews
  • Featured
  • From the Society
  • Great Poets
    • Dante Alighieri
    • Edgar Allan Poe
    • Emily Dickinson
    • Geoffrey Chaucer
    • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
    • Homer
    • John Keats
    • John Milton
    • Robert Frost
    • William Blake
    • William Shakespeare
    • William Wordsworth
  • Human Rights in China
  • Limerick
  • Love Poems
  • Music
  • Pantoum
  • Performing Arts
  • Poetry
    • Beauty
    • Children's Poems
    • Culture
    • Ekphrastic
    • Found Poems
    • High School Poets
    • Humor
    • Riddles
  • Poetry Challenge
  • Poetry Contests
  • Poetry Forms
    • Curtal Sonnet
    • Haiku
  • Poetry Readings
  • Rhupunt
  • Rondeau
  • Rondeau Redoublé
  • Rondel
  • Rubaiyat
  • Sapphic Verse
  • Satire
  • Science
  • Sestina
  • Shape Poems
  • Short Stories
  • Song Lyrics
  • Sonnet
  • Symposium
  • Terrorism
  • Terza Rima
  • The Environment
  • Translation
  • Triolet
  • Video
  • Villanelle

Quick Links

  • About Us
  • Submit Poetry
  • Become a Member
  • Members List
  • Support the Society
  • Advertisement Placement
  • Comments Policy
  • Terms of Use

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Poems
    • Beauty
    • Culture
    • Satire
    • Humor
    • Children’s
    • Art
    • Ekphrastic
    • Epic
    • Epigrams and Proverbs
    • Human Rights in China
    • Music
    • Performing Arts
    • Riddles
    • Science
    • Song Lyrics
    • The Environment
    • The Raven
    • Found Poems
    • High School Poets
    • Terrorism
    • Covid-19
  • Poetry Forms
    • Sonnet
    • Haiku
    • Limerick
    • Villanelle
    • Rondeau
    • Pantoum
    • Sestina
    • Triolet
    • Acrostic
    • Alexandroid
    • Alliterative
    • Blank Verse
    • Chant Royal
    • Clerihew
    • Rhupunt
    • Rondeau Redoublé
    • Rondel
    • Rubaiyat
    • Sapphic Verse
    • Shape Poems
    • Terza Rima
  • Great Poets
    • Geoffrey Chaucer
    • Emily Dickinson
    • Homer
    • Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
    • Dante Alighieri
    • John Keats
    • John Milton
    • Edgar Allan Poe
    • William Shakespeare
    • William Wordsworth
    • William Blake
    • Robert Frost
  • Love Poems
  • Contests
  • SCP Academy
    • Educational
    • Teaching Classical Poetry—A Guide for Educators
    • Poetry Forms
    • The SCP Journal
    • Books

© 2025 SCP. WebDesign by CODEC Prime.