A Poem: Ways of Seeing

What's a poet without any poems,
A notebook that's empty of rhyme?
A blankness that's worthless is all that it is,
So I'll fix that and now is the time...

As noted, there is really a distinct lack of actual poetry on here, largely due to my recent focus on short fiction, but today I finally got around to writing some more verse. This one is still only a first draft, so may well evolve (in which case I shall post again for comparison), but for now, enjoy:

Ways of Seeing

I see the world through the eyes of a child,

But not one so mild

As raging and torn, too old for my time

Seeing the rhyme

But not knowing why.

I reach out and touch with a tentative hand,

So strange in this land,

A frozen hand that cannot feel

If this is real

This heart that can’t heal.

You see the world through eyes looking back,

Not fearing attack

But searching and lost, between two worlds, not alone,

Both worlds your own

But neither quite home.

You hear my promise, a part of the world,

A flag unfurled,

A word too clear but it’s better this way,

I might run away;

I’ll be back some day.

They see us both through the eyes of the world

Snarling lips curled

At me for being and you for seeing

Not fleeing

The world that I call my own.

What I cannot see is what you are to me,

What we could be

If the eyes of the world turned their gaze,

Lost in the haze

Of numberless childhood days. 

*** 

Poet's notes:

- This poem is something of an experiment and a departure from my usual, somewhat more structured work, with the shortened second and fourth lines of each stanza being particularly atypical. I can't quite decide whether they help or hinder the flow of the poem, as I've not yet recited it aloud. 

-  The rhyme an rhythm are deliberately broken in places, and the format purposefully a little looser than usual. I'm not sure precisely what this adds, but I did feel right when writing. I'm interested to hear thoughts on that if anyone would like to comment. 

The next few of writing exercises should be complete within the next couple of days, as soon as I have time to write. 

That's all for now, thanks for reading, and any comments are welcome as always.