Prose Poem: Bird Man

Tags

Alone, Birds, blogging, Blogging community, creative writing, Discovery Prompts, Lonely, Poem, Poetry, Prose poetry

As the sun rises and sets casting it’s pink and golden hue across the city,
I while away my days perched atop this building:
This building I’ve long called home, far above and far away
From the people who scuttle on, oblivious to one another as I am to them.

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But I prefer it this way, maintaining my own space.
I’m no bother to anybody save the birds who vie for my attention.
They’re my friends, after all, and they keep me on the narrow and straight,
Seeking my wisdom in all the ways they consider me wise.

---

A few centuries ago (before the time of cars and planes or when the smoke of factories filled the air)
They gave me a gloriously feathered coat.
Up to that point mine had been an unsettled existence
As that of a Lone Traveller is fated to be, lost between all realms in Time and Space.

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I always enjoyed the dream of a solitary existence, just not to be lonely.
My avian friends answered the cries of my heart, respecting my independence when people did not.
And my cape of feathers brought me unbridled freedom, then:
A cloak of invisibility to pass by undetected.

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As Time and Memory bounded on I settled my weary bones in this World.
And in this city with its noises and lights and colours
My heart beats strongest as I march through the hordes and the throngs without trace
To carry out the business of the birds – for they have needs like you and me.

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How grateful I am when my work is done to return and share my rooftop with the sparrows and the magpies and the robins to name a few.

*********

About

I wrote this inspired by the character Old Bailey in Neil Gaiman’s book ‘Neverwhere’. He’s an old man who lives on top of a building in London with birds to keep him company.

Having also watched a YouTube video about people who preferred being alone, I was able to expand on the themes of the poem. I also wanted to highlight the therapeutic qualities of the pets and animals in our lives.

I hope you liked reading it. Please feel free to leave a comment below – it’d be great to know what you think of this work.

Prose Poem: Mental Health OK

Tags

blogging, Blogging community, Discover, Discovery-Prompts, Happiness, Life, Listening, Mental health, Poem, Poetry, Prose poetry

May we engage

Everybody who feels like a

Nobody with the lost,

The lonely, the distressed and the

Anxious and those who have noone to care.

Listening – just listening – can make a difference.

Hope really is out there.

Each one of us has a responsibility,

A chance to help somebody smile today.

Listen, I repeat, just listen

To somebody who feels like the world is crashing in.

Have hope that what’s lost is restored

Or that new doors may open, and

Kindness and love shall be our foundation.

ABOUT

This is another poem inspired by Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK. The first letter at the start of each line goes on to spell the title of the poem.

I hope you are all keeping safe and well.

Be Inspired and Inspire

Tags

blogging, Blogging community, Boredom, Coronavirus, creative writing, Creativity, Family, Friends, Inspiration, Lockdown, Poem, Poetry, Prose poetry

Do whatever makes you happy.

Write, draw, paint, dance,

Watch a movie, cook a meal,

Work out, make music, knit,

Play games, do gardening.

Sit still if you want to and imagine –

Just don’t let everything that’s going on

Get you down, down, down.

Maintain standards and create,

Bring ideas to life

Or just let them play out in your mind.

Keep in touch with loved ones,

Surprise those most in need.

Share and inspire. Inspire. INSPIRE!

And if today you find yourself bored

Remember that on this day being bored means keeping well and healthy.

(I wrote this poem as a counterattack to the boredom I’d felt in lockdown. Some recent posts I’d read here on WordPress about positive thinking inspired me too. There’s so much power in being creative: it nourishes soul, body and mind. When creativity is shared with family, friends or strangers it can ripple out and have a potently positive effect. But sometimes being bored is okay if we can reframe it and put it in perspective. Stay safe and well, Everybody 😊).

Discover Prompts Day 4: Street

Tags

Childhood, creative writing, Discover Prompts, Poetry, Prose poetry, Street, writing, Writing prompts

This prose poem is called ‘Halfway Down Our Street’. The start of each sentence starts with a letter from the title to spell out the name of the poem.

Home was in the middle of our street,

An equal distance to the shops or park.

Life for eight year old me began on

Friday night after school when I couldn’t wait to

Wake up with a fistful of pocket money

And run til I reached the comic store.

Yeah!!!!

Darkness seemed far away as

Once afternoon came I’d play in the park

With my friends at soccer or tennis or a

New crazy creation that passed for fun back then.

Out and about, exploring by the stream

Until we heard our parents call us to

Return home for our dinner.

Saturday night was alright: chips and the A-Team.

Then I’d ask politely to go outside and play again

Right up until the moon popped up

Ending another day of uninterrupted fun.

Eight o’clock was bedtime as I shuffled up the stairs

To read comic books and dream of tomorrow.