I wandered trapped within the crowd.
Their voices high and loud and shrill.
When all at once I spied a cloud.
Will it rain? I hope it will.
I want to be --------- alone.
When the rain pours down.
It sorts the men out from the boys.
The wimps set off back to town.
And leave me to my outdoor joys.
They let me be ---------- alone
When I roam o'er vale and hill
A time of peace I hope to find.
Yet even on the highest slopes, - I hear a trill.
Why can't they leave the phone behind.
Don't they want to be ----------- alone.
It's true I like to walk alone
But please don't think me mad or sad
Or uncaring and selfish with heart of stone.
It's just that solitude makes my heart glad.
I like to be ----------- alone
Daily I cope with a heaving mob
Of noisy, smelly adolescents
But that's alright 'cos that's my job.
But out here I hate there presence.
Please leave me --------- alone.
When nature's hospitality sags and palls.
And rambling is no longer fun
I head off back to my own four walls.
Just like a bullet from a gun.
And I leave the hills ---------- alone.
Author notes
Written on a marvellous summer afternoon waiting to check on the safety of a group of young hikers. In one of England's National Parks.
Written August 18th, 1999
In a list
A contest entry
- Give me something different by Fallen forever.
400 points, ended October 15, 2006, 34 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
1 - 20 of 20
-
Thanks for the generous comment and also for hosting the competition.
This was a favourite and I'm glad to give it a new lease of life.
Jim -
A lovely piece, filled with gorgous lines, images and just a gorgoues language that lit this gorgeous poem alight. A beauitful pictrue created, deep and beauitful.
The rhyming was clever and not forced, well used to enhance it
Well done on this
That you for entering
Good luck
-
It's nice to meet a kindred soul. We all need that quiet time to refresh our batteries.
Thanks for reading and writing.
Jim
-
Lovely!
Jim- very nice setup of this poem. I like the repetion of the desire to be alone. I feel like this myself every day. I feel guilty sometimes for wanting time to myself, but I try hard to take at least 30 minutes to myself a few times a week and it's helped me so much. You have painted a wonderful picture of a person getting a brief respite from the frustrations and irritations of life as we know it- cell phones, noisy people, general din. I love it! My favorite lines:
It's true I like to walk alone
But please don't think me mad or sad
Or uncaring and selfish with heart of stone.
It's just that solitude makes my heart glad.
Very nicely done! -
That particular stanza was and still is heartfelt. One of the greatest joys of hill walking is getting away from the classrooms and (some) of the kids that they contain.
Thanks for your comment and the generous applause.
Jim -
Definetly a keeper
My god! You rhymed adolescents with presence. Pure genius, man. I'd never have thought to put the word adolescents into poetry. -
Thanks for those kind words Jay.
At this time of year it is sometimes good to get out in the hills away from the crass commercial crowds.
Jim S
Edited on Dec 21, 4:09 p.m. because ''. -
I really like this. Especially the amazing wording and imagery this poem gives. I prefer to be alone too! You would probably understand why if you read my poem Rejected. It's about my life so please read it and comment! PLEASE! Oh I'm such a baby! Anyway back to your wonderful poem. It was just that.....WONDERFUL!
Jay -
Thanks for reading AND understanding.
Jim S -
This was really good. I think it reminded us all about how much we do like being alone and we just cant always get it. And when we do.. we're not upset we just want to be------ alone.
Great write and good luck
xoxo
brandy -
Thanks for the comments Dan
-
A nice description on the pleasures of being alone and seeking solitude. Very well done.
-
Thank you for all of your recent comments Emerald13. I hope you enjoyed your look round my mind and will revisit occasionally. The content has changed.
Jim S -
such a pleasant feeling of walking you took me on ... it is lovely to be alone and walking is a favourite activity .... made me smile and the amble through the poem hastened to the final closing the door. very well done >>>> EM
-
This is great... the repetiton fits nicely, and the imagery in this is really good. I especially like the lines:
It's true I like to walk alone
But please don't think me mad or sad
Or uncaring and selfish with heart of stone.
It's just that solitude makes my heart glad.
I like to be ----------- alone
You can really feel the emotion in this stanza. I love the feel to this poem, very well written with some nice rhyming. Great work!
Ellen
-
I wondered who would spot that first. A bit of a nod to the old Bill.
JS -
Dear Mr Wordsworth.
A splendid effort - and I can empathise with you.
I rise at 4-5am now, because I like to be alone.
I spend the early morning reading or writing.
I've seen the sun set on the Nile behind those ancient hills at Thebes ; a truly spectacular sight : but, to hear the sound of our wonderful birds delighting in the breakfast I've just provided for them, and elsewhere it is so quiet and peaceful is heaven.
Well done.
Robin. -
I think exactly the same. My life is one long whirl sometimes, the kids at school, who I love, friends, who even though I adore them, cant sometimes understand why, I like my own space and my family constantly ringing to find out why I haven`t rung them. Ho hum, oh for the sound of silence. Lol, sorry to ramble over your ramble. A visual delight!...let me loose on them hills....your rhyming is effortless, well done.
-
Thank you for those kind words.
-
tres super!
this poem is fantasitc i can sense your emotion in this poem and i like the repitition of "alone" it reinforces your need to be alone well done
Adding your comment:
1 - 20 of 20
7 old applause
