Sunday, October 23, 2011

Alone


CARRY ON TUESDAY

The words in blue are from
"A Letter To P'ie Ti" by Wang We
 'sitting alone listening to the silence'.

ALONE

Alone.... the saddest word of all
Since we are meant to be with others.
As babies we cried piteously
When parted from our mothers.
And there is nothing gloomier
Than being alone in a crowd;
When one is forced into silence
While surrounding sounds are loud;
When the party laughter is deafening
But the joke's not for your ears,
And nobody has noticed you,
You're sometimes near to tears.
And yet, to be alone by choice
Is one of living's joys.
Sitting alone on an empty beach,
With only the surf for noise,
Or listening to the silence
As one gazes at the stars,
Far away from the jangling sounds
Of a million motor-cars.....
These are the most pleasurable
Occasions we have known.
There's a world of meaning 
In that simple word 'alone'.
*
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I think I've blogged this one before but it fits the bill.

DREAM COME TRUE

You ask me to dream of something
That's almost too good to come true.
Well, let me pretend I'm young again,
Say, about twenty-two.
I'm feeling a little dismal;
Things aren't going my way.
My love-life's non-existent;
My homeland's rather grey.
I dream a dream that's so wonderful
That I feel I'm wasting my time.
*
'I want to live till I'm very old
And to write lots of things in rhyme.
I want to have a son and daughter;
I want to live in the sun;
I want to have many, many friends
And delight in every one.
I want to have three grandchildren
Who live very near to me.
And I want to be able to walk when I want
Down to the rolling sea.'
*
I'd have laughed at myself at twenty-two;
I was asking a terrible lot!
But now, at eighty, good gracious me!
That's exactly what I've got!
*

6 comments:

Janet Martin said...

This is perfectly splendid, and makes me want to live until I'm eighty. Thank-you for sharing your wonderful talent for others to enjoy!
Your first poem, Alone, is wonderful and too authentic to be fictitious!
Thank-you for your visit to my blog:)

keith sramblings said...

I can honestly say that I'm never happier than when I'm on my own - that's why I live alone, holiday alone and usually work alone. Having said that, I'm surounded by a large loving family and a circle of wonderful friends. But when I close the door behind me I'm in heaven!

vivinfrance said...

Moderation in all things - a tad of solitude, a modicum of silence, human contact on tap: you have written a great deal of truth.
I'm happy that your dreams have come true for you.

Cassiopeia Rises said...

Both are wonderful my friend. My God bless you with many more years. Sometimes when we are young we forget the gift of life.



Melanie

Mike Patrick said...

Your second poem sat me down. So much of what you wrote was of the things I wanted in my youth. Most of them turned out well. I'm happy in my life, and happy in my silence. Beautifully written.

earlybird said...

Yes. Being alone by choice is indeed 'one of living's joys', I agree.

I'm glad your dream came true. What a delightfully joyous poem.