A poem

I thought this one appropriate, being that it's 2006 which I'm still having trouble believing, and it also seems to go well with this blog's title. I have more to explain, but I'll save it for after the poem…

2:30, May 14, office

All Aboard

Time passes as a train
in whirring motion,
starting slowly, its
wheels creaking
as they move
around, around,
until they glide
over the tracks,
the scenery
of the early journey
grows ever dimmer
to those aboard,
the train glides on,
landscapes pass
like a mix of colors,
a blurred photo
to those gazing
with half-closed
eyes.

Sometimes I am
among those
weary gazers,
jaded by the ride,
the never-changing
daily rhythms.
Yet the Destination
approaches;
though the tracks
stretch on for miles
across sun-drenched deserts,
waters, dreamy-blue,
menacing mountains
and breezy fields,
it approaches,
and I must
open my eyes,
wide as a curious
child’s, new to the ride,
lean out against
an open window,
hair dancing in the wind,
watch every
rock and tree,
sunset and star.

It's weird talking about it, because I've kept it quiet for so long, but this poem came from a failed poetry book project. I had this grand vision of publishing a poetic journal, which spanned from my birthday in 2003-2004, called Journey of a Year, and wanted to complement the poems with my own photographs, along the lines of a Viggo Mortensen book like Coincidence of Memory (you may know him from Lords of the Rings or A History of Violence, but the man is also a noted photographer/artist/poet- you should check his stuff out). In the end, I just didn't have enough poems that were good. It took me a while to accept this fact, but even a dreamer has to be realistic at times. It was a great experience anyway, taking a year to look for the poetry in things. The few that I liked will make their way to this blog. But that doesn't mean they are any good - I leave that to you.

This is getting long, but one last note - please feel free to post a comment! I am big on feedback - whether you love what I write, hate it, don't get it or whatever else. If you rather not have everyone see your comments, you can always email me. Being the quiet type myself, I better not push this point any further, but just know your thoughts are always welcome.

Until next week…