A Lesson Learned

How kind her teared eyes that hid the truth; from the lips that would never confess.

 

Rode the train with my girl today

across the barn swept hollows

Past lush fields of emerald green

with the life and love that follows

 

The train car tapped out a lullaby beat

which spent our time lost in leisure

The smiles past came by with the peace

life's sweet gifts we couldn’t measure

 

A man had set across the aisle of us

he seemed so different from me

Clothes tattered, torn and weathered

homeless and likely worn hard was he

 

I couldn’t help but to take the notice

his features hewn and deeply lined

Drawing a map of where he'd been

red eyed he looked half blind

 

Something alone in his vacant stare

said It was me that he resembled

The thought had taken me a-fright

I looked hard, long and trembled

 

I saw my lover look over him too

noticed the hair might be the same

Except for straggling beard and decay

I had felt a deep sense of shame

 

Could that be what would happen to me

what fallen angel had led him astray

A nightmare vision of life’s full truth

eyes of pain in the heart they betray

 

Then my lover looked back upon me

her thoughts she sought hard to repress

How kind those teared eyes that hid the truth

from her lips that would never confess

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Author's Note

An introspective mirror of myself.

Reviews

[Shelly Braen]

This piece holds unmaginable beauty! The seasoned timelessness of such a beautiful, yet solomn journey through the eyes of such a man, yet the thought that they might be yor own looking back at you from the differences of eras. How could a person be more beautiful than the man sat in front of you. Wonderful! Simply wonderful!

[Nautili]

very moving and profound. We find it easy to judge others without a second thought. this poem might indeed inspire that second thought. We are all sojourners in this life and no one is better than another, whatever their circumstances might be. Your style flows like the train ride, we see different sights, as though we are passengers.....and feel your distress as well, since we are given a glimpse into your soul.

[Lizanne]

The eyes are the windows into the soul. He looked into the window's of this man's eyes and in doing so saw his very own soul. We hasten to judge without knowing the circumstances of another's life. ush bThrough the poshness and lush fields of life we may travel, but anothe may tread upon barren and rocky terrain. It cannot be predicted that circumstances may or may not change. But we never know the true reason for the appearance until we walk in that persons shoes. A beautiful writing. Full of thought and rich in
wisdom.

[Georgia Gypsy]

You have really touched upon the true measure of a man, the things in life that change along the way, the roads travelled and the toil of time....
I have seen this man before in the face of my grandfather and father and even at times my partner.
this is a great poem....
so glad to know another poetic soul!! you're words inspire!

[~LeeAnn~]

I felt like I was on that train along with those people looking at the same man thinking about the life he must have lived, and it reminded me of my father.

[deeps]

Wow! This is so amazing
Wonderfully expressed and full of feelings
Amazing write

[The Wave]

as i read i felt i was being taken on a journey. it's like i could visually see everything that was going on like watching a movie. the emotions was intense and it came through loud and clear.

"past lush fields of emerald green". this was the line that really pulled me into this poem.

good job, it seemed that in every stanza i had a favorite line. :)

[cest la vie]

And yet again you have managed to write something honmest, beautiful, relatable. Nicely done.

My fav part: "A nightmare vision of life's full truth.Eyes of pain in the heart they betray."

[Martin See]

"could that be what would happen to me? " is a powerful line that evokes self-reflection of the possible similarities between the narrator and the homeless man...i sometimes also consider the likelihood that i might end up that way...it's for me simply by the grace of God that i find myself in more fortunate circumstances than others like the homeless...given that i have chosen to live by the road less travelled, it at times be can daunting...and truly it's just my blessings that i'm ok...this poem resonates strongly with me it is well-thought out and socially conscious....love it!

[Sean M. Addams]

very nicely done like the rhyme pattern in this alot ... overall nice job on this....

[Bud]

"Something alone in his vacant stare.
Said It was me that he resembled.
The thought had taken me afright.
I looked hard, long and trembled."

A deep and meaningful statement that applies to all. At anytime we are all subject to become...
Excellent piece, once again!