Boundaries
And I unaware
Of how wholly other
You were
In my little world
Having been raised
In Celtic culture
Anglo Saxon
And northern European
And studied dead white men
I had no reason
To venture out
Of my boundaries…
But there you were.
The coeds in the college
Thought you exotic
And exquisite
And extolled your beauty
And the softness
Of your skin—
I don’t know why
They didn’t see you
As a threat…
I did
And stayed away
Not knowing
How to react
And hating feeling
Uncomfortable and shy…
Perhaps that was why.
And so it went
Until the day
In the campus café
I saw you cry;
I’m useless at tears
I don’t know why
But I stopped
And listened to your fears
And made you laugh
When I got shy.
They told me later
That you liked me
And some girls
Suggested I ask you out.
But I was beyond that now...
You see I never ventured out
Beyond my boundaries
And though I liked you
I remained in my own solitude
And you maintained
Your own solemn mood
Occasionally smiling
In gratitude
As life passed us by—
I still don’t know why.
This girl looks awfully familiar! Where do I know her from?
"La vida es eso que pasa mientras pensamos qué vamos hacer con nuestra vida", @johnjgeddes. Las oportunidades, como las enfermedades infantiles, solo pasan una vez y muchos de nosotros las desaprovechamos por temor, por timidez, o en algunos casos, por creer que la sociedad nos juzgarás. Como es el caso que dejas entrever entre tus líneas. Cuando miramos atrás y nos damos cuenta de lo que dejamos de hacer en nuestra juventud por temor, nos entra un estado de frustración. Si cuando jóvenes no cometemos errores, Cuándo los vamos hacer? El que no arriesga, no gana. En la vida hay que atreverse, aunque en ese atrevimiento salgamos con el corazón roto y las manos vacías. ¿Quién pone esos límites: la sociedad o nosotros mismos?Te abrazo
nos vamos con el corazón roto y las manos vacías ... Muy cierto. Creo que nuestra infancia y nuestra personalidad nos ponen esos límites :)
Oh my, you put tears in my eyes. That was a sad ending, but a very important lesson in life.
thank you :)
A lovely tale from your youth ... it nice to know that things have moved on from this. Where I live few bat an eye at cultural differences because we are so varied. I like a varied world. It would be a bore if we all looked the same:)
Yes, same has happened here, but Toronto was very Anglo Saxon in its early days and then immigration changed everything - we're now one of the most culturally diversified cities in the world.
I have heard that:) The things it has done for our food. Yum:)
so true...I discovered pizza and polish food - eat a little Chinese but can't get to Thai - I don't know - is it ginger? weird anyway to my taste
I prefer Vietnamese:)
I know the feeling. Boundaries have no walls when a dear soul is in need.
so very true...
Now that, my man touched me. I bet there is a whole bunch of guys like us waiting for somebody to put it into words. I glad you wrote this
.........when I got shy
thanks, @hashcash - there are always restraints inside us as a result of our upbringing or personality and we never know why we act the way we do
Very touch me your poetry...
Great your poetry for your writing...
Success is always for you
thank you, @volcom
Thank you!
a beautiful poem!
Thank you!
Beautifully written 🌼
Don't know why? Somethings are better not to know but only feel
very true :)