A man sits, pondering

A Poem from the Universe

frieze on “The Meeting Place” by Paul Day - photo E. Howard

Day 6 of 30 Days of Poetry, Autumn 2024

All the universe exists 
behind the eyes.
A man sits, pondering,
on the train
Liverpool to St. Pancras
immobile
while wild wet
bodies splash
unraveling
a puzzle twist.
Ideas leap
from shadows
only to sink 
suddenly into
the arms of a song. 
Oh! ah yes!
File away that 
sagging pine
as it flashes by
raindrops shuddering,
plus the heaving
telephone lines, 
mmmm
mmmmmm
mmmmm ...
Around chase
the thought hamsters
throwing hay
'til a touch registers
on his shoulder:
-- seat taken?
The man surfaces
to shake his head, 
to nod, to note 
her rustle and
shuffle and
scent, then 
settles back on 
the moquette
to fade again
away ...

---

Today’s poem reflects the feeling of being lost in thought, from a word given to me by my friend Debby Parsons: “pondering.”

Seems like thinking can often be heavy and weigh one down with worry or concerns. But it’s very nice when the imagination takes over and thoughts dance from place to place … usually interrupted by the ear worm of the day.

I took photos of huge bronze sculpture “The Meeting Place” when I visited London in 2015. (The part of the frieze pictured is only a very small part of its base.) St. Pancras station was closed for renovation the entire of the 3 years we lived there so I’d never been inside.

Thanks again for stopping by!