Photo by Coby Shimabukuro

    Perspective is what most distinguishes one person’s interpretation of a good life from another. As such, it’s difficult to bind its definition since some individuals do not see things in the same light as others. What is certain though, is that a good life is possible. Some may complain that there’s too many things to worry about, and that it stops them from enjoying what should be enjoyed to the fullest. In the poem “A Coney Island Life” by James L. Weil, this very concept is portrayed. It describes the worry that many have about what they haven’t yet accomplished, their regrets; the things in which they’ve spent too much time doing. It provokes readers to stop worrying about all of these “problems” and instead to truly live in the “now” as time is not of unlimited supply.
    Within the life of the individual within this poem (as it is written in their perspective), Weil writes “Having lived a Coney Island life On rollercoaster ups and downs…” within the first two lines. What Weil establishes is the metaphor that compares life to an amusement park; it’s games, the roller coaster, and all that makes up the amusement park of Coney island. The positives and negatives; the high points and the low points a person will experience through life. Notice though, that this is said in past tense, as Weil writes: “Nor arms filled with dolls I threw so much for…” This is up for interpretation, though what Weil describes is that this person (who has aged and is looking back) has already achieved a lot of “dolls” within life. Dolls at an amusement park are nice to have, but serve little purpose after winning them. This can be comparable to a number of things in life, but what stands out most is the mundane achievements that people spend a lot of time trying to achieve, but don’t necessarily enjoy it.
    As such, all lives dread one same thing; their demise--their death. Weil writes that “I take perhaps my last ride on this planet-carousel…” meaning that this person’s end is nearing. As previously explained, this person has satisfied him/herself in a technical sense, but not in a figurative sense. And now, since that time has already been lost to putting so much effort into acquiring those technical achievements, very little time is left. And now, this person asks; “How many more times round I have to catch that brass-ring-sun before the game is up.” This individual is still fixed on the idea that there is still time to achieve what this individual really wanted to achieve. Something they really wanted to direct all of their previous effort towards: to live in the “now”.
    Again; no one person’s perspective of a good life is the same as another's. However one must realize the difference between achieving something “just because” and achieving something one really wants to do that satisfies their enjoyment; a priority one should make. And so, that is what Weil is attempting to teach from this poem. Forget about the dull and tedious achievements one seeks to achieve. Forget about the regrets one has made so far; what matters is to live in the present, for lives do not last forever.