In my park there is a globe with many
Clocks, all facing different ways and set to
Different times.
Kiev, Melbourne, Albany.
Perched atop and framed by the streetlight through
Drizzling rain there is a man with one clock.
It eclipses his face; he seems to peer
Through as though vainly trying to take stock
Of his own corner of existence. Here
And now he sees the world, on local time.
Seoul.
I drink in the stillness of the night,
Revel in the soft rain and let my mind
Wonder if the man atop the world might
Sometimes wish to change his time.
Hong Kong, Rome,
Portland.
I smile: a reminder of home.
---
Picture: A clock near the river in Anyang. The sign says "Anyang-Si", meaning Anyang City.
Bonus points to the first person to identify the poem structure in the comments.
What a lovely poem but I won't win bonus points because I don't know the structure. My money is on Grama Marni. :)
ReplyDeleteMom xoxo
Crumb Bum! I haven't a clue. I'll be checking hourly for the right answer.
ReplyDeleteI especially like the imagery of:
"he seems to peer
Through as though vainly trying to take stock
Of his own corner of existence".
And I love to say over and over again:
"Hong Kong, Rome,
Portland.
I smile:
a reminder of home."
Thanks for the comments.
ReplyDeleteA hint about the structure of the poem:
If it's not evident from the layout
What the poem is, then you will have to roam
For other clues in order to find out!
What do you mean by 'roam'?
ReplyDeleteTo roam, perchance to rhyme?
ReplyDeleteOK OK ! I guess your comment is what could be called (if I remember right) a quatrain with an abab rhyme scheme. But I have trouble with the rhythm. I'd like to HEAR you say it. Anyone else out there?
ReplyDeleteAs much as I am sure you would enjoy me reading the poem, I am not sure it would help you with the rhythm - I generally read my poetry without much discernible meter.
ReplyDeleteBut for what it's worth, the poem is technically in iambic pentameter. One might look at the rhyming scheme, or perhaps the number of lines and/or syllables... line breaks are sometimes deceptive, though.
Hope this helps more!
Then it must be a sonnet with deceptive line breaks. Although I even considered it was rapping. I know you write good sonnets. I have a very important one framed on my bookcase. I haven't read much poetry for years but this sent me back to Wordsworth and the long and some people think tedious poem called Lines written above Tintern Abbey which I love to read aloud. Thanks, Steve.
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed reading your comments while you two discuss the style of poetry back and forth.
ReplyDeletehmm - 10 sylables in each line (or most of them...) with rhyming words at the end of each second line (or most of them...) sounds to me like a similar poem structure to that most famous of all poems... "There once was a man from Nuntucket", but I must of been snoozing through that Enlish Lit class because I have no clue what it's called!
ReplyDeleteDad