Friday, July 15, 2011

Solitude



THURSDAY THINK TANK
suggests the topic 'loneliness'.

SOLITUDE
To be alone is not, of course, to be lonely.
Solitude is a loneliness with charm.
Be in a place where one is the one and only,
And experience a sort of egotistical balm.
In my little room I find the pleasures of solitude;
Though in crowds I often feel all alone,
In my little room 'alone' is a sweet beatitude;
And true loneliness I have never known.
But imagination allows me to think and empathise
With the truly lonely who walk this world with me.
I can will myself into their minds and then I can fantasise
About how sorrowful loneliness must be.
To long for another and never see their face again
Is true loneliness that nothing can assuage.
It's like searching forever and never finding a trace again
It's like reading a book with nothing on every page.
*

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APPREHENSION!

A little blue boy in a big blue pool!
Is the water a mite too cool?
Is the step the place to be
While you look out and face an enormous sea?
Are you being urged to swim!
Your expression's rather grim!
Are you just a bit too small
To face the enormity of it all?
Water will one day be quite thrilling
But, just for now, you seem unwilling.

*

4 comments:

Maggie said...

The last line in your loneliness poem says it all. Wonderful piece.

henry clemmons said...

I agree, the last line in th first poem blew me away. A classic. Great work.

Susannah said...

What absolutely wonderful lines. . .

"Solitude is a loneliness with charm."

and

"It's like reading a book with nothing on every page."

Excellent observations! :-)

Ella said...

So true, your last line about the empty page, said it all~! Haunting and sad; well done~