Shawn L. Bird

I was just flipping through a book of writing from when I was in grade eleven and came across this poem.  It’s pretty typical 16 year old fare, but there are some big ideas here.  Worth sharing, I think.

.

Somewhere

Beyond the traffic and the city sounds

We exist in separate universes.

Pain in the hopelessness

Of the situation stirs, then quietens.

I want to blurt carelessly,

but contain myself

to casual renderings of brief words.

.

I was quiet,

I tried not scream.

I went as far as I could,

but I had to hold back something.

I almost gave everything

but you were holding back, and

I couldn’t give everything if you weren’t.

.

Nothing was comfortable.

We decided everything was my fault.

It wasn’t.

We share the guilt.

We should have tried to work it out.

But we didn’t and we walked away

Without pain.

.

Understand me?

Our peoople faces were still on

When we should have scraped them off.

.

.

(c) Shawn Bird 2011.  Original draft written 1981.

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