One Hour Friend

I take many rail journeys and love to observe people. This poem is a reflection on an old man reading a book...it may even be self-reflection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I don’t want to get lost in books,

In the imaginary world of other lives,
Nodding my head on the pm train
Pretending I am interested
Intellectual
A patron of the Arts.
I don’t want to look lonely,
Living my life through fictional characters,
Displaying to you that I am clever,
But I’m not!
Just bored,
My own life a fiction.
I read because Radio 4 said I should.

 

I need to keep up you know.
Be one of the crowd,
Talking with banal intelligence at the party.
Almost saying I know the author,
But I don’t.
I’m just a lonely old codger on a train,
Saying to you by the holding up of the cover page,
I am lonely and I am old…
Please talk to me.
Ask me what the book is about,
And I will tell you all my life,
My family
My travels
My work and has-been years.
I’ll appreciate the attention,
The moment’s friendship.
Then when you’re gone,
I’ll hold the cover page up again
And find another one hour friend.http://www.amazon.co.uk/North-East-Eden-Tranquility-Darkling/dp/1470109565/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1374222010&sr=1-1&keywords=north+east+in+eden