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Looking Out

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I was young, I was clay
I was given to looking out
and there upon the train seat
a gift from the universe
A barely filled notebook
no name, no number
no way to find the owner
it piqued my curiosity…

With pencil then, I tried to fill it
with all my words, my wonderings
my secret truths
but it went nowhere
just collected dust upon my shelf

A few months gone by
still young, my paint still wet
still at my most malleable 
Lying on the pavement there
another present from the universe
a gleaming fountain pen
lid on, no engraving, no passer by
no way to return it
instinctively, I picked it up
put it to the waiting paper

The flick of that scalpel nib
the infinite potential, the promise...
For the first time in my life
I could speak without interruption
get my thoughts straight, talk it over
A friendship formed there
that has never faded

Since that strange coincidence
or you may call it providence
I’ve always had a keen eye on the world
for its quiet subtle gifts and moments
Look up, look down, look out
It’s all around, every day
I am humbled by the wonder
of nature
and the ever generous beauty
of existence... 
 

[2021]

finding thingswonder

◄ Headlights

Beguiling Sirens ►

Comments

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Tom

Sat 24th Jul 2021 23:50

Thanks Ray and Jennifer. I'm so pleased you enjoyed.

I've gotten used to the title now and agree it works fine. I've been writing a lot of my poems in my head whilst out walking this past year and the endorphins seem to be slathering the poems with happiness (on the whole) which makes for a nice change.

Ray, 'lightly conversational' sums up this friendship with poetry and the great chats we've had a long the way. :) The inspiration for this poem comes from a revelation I had while replying to a comment from WoL Keith Jefferies - so, thanks Keith.

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to have a read.

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raypool

Tue 20th Jul 2021 17:18

A tour de force of pensive musing , lightly conversational and bejewelled with scalpel nib and I was clay in particular.
Lovely.

Ray

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jennifer Malden

Tue 20th Jul 2021 16:50

Really liked this, wonderful to find someone who appreciaes what he has, so many of our poems are sad! Also original topic, seems to me and very well constructed, every word counts. 'Looking Out'
doesn't seem uninspiring to me.

Jennifer

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Tom

Fri 16th Jul 2021 12:12

Thank you Stephen, very kind. I did toy with using that line or a variation... I'll have a think. Thanks for reading and the like.

Thanks to Aviva, Holden, Aisha and Jordyn for the 'likes' too ? Appreciate you reading.

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Stephen Gospage

Thu 15th Jul 2021 11:26

Fine poem, Tom. Looking out seems a good title to me. Perhaps
' A gift from the universe' might work.

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Tom

Thu 15th Jul 2021 09:55

A true story.

Can anyone suggest a better title for this? 'Looking Out' feels a bit uninspired to me.

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