Wednesday 25 April 2012

Another Poem

Don't ask me where the idea for this one came from - I know not. 
It just started with that first line

Jack the tramp

One foot before the other
that was all he ever did
just one foot, then the other
all intent and purpose hid
the direction didn't matter,
nor the speed at which he moved
but he had to keep on roving
through this country that he loved.

The weather never held him back
to his comfort gave no thought
the faded coat upon his shoulders
fitted where it caught.
its pockets jammed with treasure
that he'd rescued from the ground
amazing bits and trinkets,
a record of his round.

He lived from Nature's bounty
along with gifts from those
who've known him all his walking life
who'd chat, share food and clothes.
some were touched by envy
of his unencumbered ways
but few would follow in his steps
in Winter's sullen days.

He'd been travelling this road for years
he'd witnessed so much changed
the changes too had witnessed him
as constantly he ranged
the metalled road beneath him had both
chilled and warmed his feet
but nothing stopped him, nothing would
'til his life was complete

and when one day his body
is found stiff beneath the hedge,
or curled up in a corner
covered o'er in snowy dredge,
The word will hasten through his round
that Jack's finally reached the edge
of the Kingdom he'd been searching for forever.

His friends will gather round him
when comes his funeral day
and they'll pay their last respects to his
coffined body as it lay
in the finery they'll have clothed him in
to warm him on his way
as he sets out on his final,
final journey.

3 comments:

  1. Lovely Bob, thanks for posting that.
    Especially like the way way his coat is given an identiy in its own right...
    "...the faded coat upon his shoulders
    fitted where it caught.
    its pockets jammed with treasure"

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for that Neil.
      I like your critiques, they go places i can't even think of.
      Like all my stuff, it just comes out. Perhaps if I learned a bit more about the process, I might produce better work.

      cheers mate
      B

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    2. I quite often find interesting aspects to my writing that seem to have appeared by accident - I think I prefer 'auto matically' :-)
      I don't think you need to learn anything about the process Bob - let it flow!

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