What is there to be done
When it is done by another?
My verdict says nothing, nothing at all.
I was simply born too late
In the evening, when night falls and goes dark,
And the guiding light of the morning is finished,
And for the lamps there is no oil left
As the day-dwellers squandered it in its abundance.
I was not born in shiny dawn
With the whole day ahead
With time and chance to be the first, to discover first,
To take first
And leave but dust and crumbs
For others to squabble.
The Junction Journal 
Hey Jonlison Wang,
Your blog spoke out to me because of the way you view the world and its advancements, the idea that there isn’t anything for those who were born too late. However, I don’t think this is the case, even though we missed out on taking part in what has already been discovered, there’s still plenty more to discover and explore. Such as our unexplored oceans and the endless space beyond our planet. At the same time, we can always add on to whatever was given to us. Some of these things may already have reached their limits, but maybe one day a discovery will be made that opens up new possibilities.
“What is there to be done
When it is done by another?”
These lines stood out to me because it serves as a powerful starter for this writing. The writer is accepting defeat before the reader gets the opportunity to understand what the writer is talking about, and by doing so, sets the tone early on.
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This poem really stood out to me I feel like at first glance you don’t really understand it but the more I reread it I sort of started to paint a picture in my mind especially this quote “What is there to be done When it is done by another?” It made me think of kids being born into this era what is there for them discover or learn when most have already discovered or learned it now they just live on with no specific purpose
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Hi Jonlison,
Your poem really spoke to me because I sometimes feel like I was born at the “wrong time” too. Especially living in NYC, everything feels so fast. Everyone is always moving, building something, chasing something, trying to become something. It can feel like the world was already in motion before you even understood what direction you’re supposed to go. Reading your poem made me think about how overwhelming that can feel, like you’re stepping into a race that already started.
The lines that stood out to me the most were:
“I was not born in shiny dawn / With the whole day ahead.”
The image of “shiny dawn” feels full of opportunity and possibility, like the start of something big. But then the poem shifts to darkness and used-up oil, and that contrast feels heavy. It almost feels unfair — like the people before us used all the light and left the rest of us with what’s left. That metaphor really stayed with me.
I also noticed how simple and direct the opening question is: “What is there to be done / When it is done by another?” It feels quiet but powerful, almost like someone thinking out loud and not expecting an answer. That honesty made the poem feel real.
At the same time, your poem made me question whether being “too late” is actually true, or if it’s just how it feels when we compare ourselves to everything happening around us. Even if we aren’t first, we’re still here now, and that has to mean something.
Thank you for writing something that feels so honest and relatable.
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