PAGES

▼

Friday, 4 November 2011

As I Walked Out

Rereading Esther Morgan's poem As I Walked Out in last Saturday's Guardian Review, I was struck by a similarity of theme with the poem I wrote yesterday, a vagabond life. Although the means of expression are quite different, both poems are about the dream of escaping from a mundane present.

As I Walked Out

Don't tell me you've never dreamed of this -
of waking in a room with a wide open window,

the air clear and ringing after night rain;
of needing no other reason than a sky

the unbelievable blue of which
sends you flitting deftly through the house

past the year-old jar of nails and flies,
the pile of dishes in the sink, and out the back door

where you're caught for an instant in the brightness
because the future's so much easier than you'd thought -

slipping your heart under the rosebush like a key,
everything you need in the canvas bag

resting lightly at your hip
and life as simple as turning left or right.

ESTHER MORGAN (From her collection Grace published by Bloodaxe)
at

11 comments:

  1. ksam4 November 2011 at 13:35

    Lovely poem. But I think I left part of my heart hung on one of the thorns on that rose bush. Next time, I'm taking it with me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous4 November 2011 at 16:45

    thanks for this - missed it on Saturday. A good poem, and I haven't come across the poet before - but I think a bit of stability is the order of the moment for me

    Andy

    ReplyDelete
  3. George4 November 2011 at 17:09

    A wonderful poem, and it's nice to think that the future will be easier than we thought!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Weaver of Grass4 November 2011 at 18:50

    Yes, I enjoyed that poem in Saturday's Guardian Robert, and funnily enough I thought of you too.

    ReplyDelete
  5. creep4 November 2011 at 19:13

    Wonderful.
    This poem brighten the future.
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  6. The Solitary Walker4 November 2011 at 19:43

    Yes, I really like this poem - deftly, beautifully written. Though I think the future may not be as easy as all that...

    'Slipping your heart under the rosebush like a key...' What a great line.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Susan Scheid4 November 2011 at 22:56

    Beautiful poem:

    where you're caught for an instant in the brightness/
    because the future's so much easier than you'd thought

    Those are the best of days.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Mister Roy5 November 2011 at 20:13

    Ah, if only...thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  9. The Solitary Walker6 November 2011 at 17:53

    Thanks for calling in, Susan and Roy!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Ruth7 November 2011 at 20:31

    Yes, I see the similar wistfulness between the poems.

    That "slipping your heart like a key" line is a knock-out!

    ReplyDelete
  11. The Solitary Walker8 November 2011 at 13:13

    Yes, a killer line, absolutely, Ruth!

    ReplyDelete