.

.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

People I've known

The Poetry Bus is driven this week by 120socks, who set for us several possible destinations. I chose "I knew a person who..."
.
I knew a man who told me I should
told me I could
told me I'd better
.
I knew a woman who gave me paints
who read my story out to the class
who said Of course
.
I knew a man who never told me I could
never asked me what I wanted
who told me I'd darned well better
.
I knew a man who wanted to be my mirror
who asked how high and how far
who cast no light of his own
.
I knew a woman who tsk tsked
and shook her head
and wondered what I would come to
.
I knew a man who said yes and meant no
who said no and meant yes
and mistook me for his dark fantasy
.
I knew a man who does what he wants
and says what he thinks
and assumed I would go farther
.
All these people I have known
and have been.
.

11 comments:

Louise said...

I guess we are all shaped by the people we meet in life, positive and negative experiences influence us and fuse with our inner core to change, mould and ultimately hopefully bring us to being stronger for it.

Wonderful poem.

Totalfeckineejit said...

This is one of your very best NanU. Trés bien!

Niamh B said...

excellent, layers of the influences people can have, positive or negative - trés bien indeed!

The Bug said...

Oh those people who only have their OWN agendas & not the ones that are best for us! Including our own selves sometimes - I've done things in my life that are contrary to who I really am. Reading it like this kind of helps to understand it a little better. I especially connected to the "dark fantasy." Great poem!

Helen said...

I know I've been fortunate to have those influences (positive and negative)in my life - sounds like you have too. Beautiful!!!

Unknown said...

I love the poem NanU and can relate to it so well, for people I know or in myself.

Titus said...

Oh, that's stunning NanU. Works particularly well with each stanza beginning with the 'I'. Beautifully done.

Peter Goulding said...

Agree with TFE. This is absolutely superb, like a Dylan song. And what a killer last line!

izzy said...

Eventually we have to chase some of them out and reinstate the worthy...really enjoyed your poem here, thanks.

Lucy Westenra said...

Very thoughtful and perceptive.

Cad said...

An interesting collection of people...