Standing on the sand
I watched the boats afloat
I thought to myself; I must look good
cinematic, brilliant, deep, mature
all eyes were on me, because I stood out
how they must love me…
As those ships drifted by
I’d be thoughtful
roll my eyes, look to the ground
with all the girls watching my ticks and style
I was sullen, moody, sexy, smart beyond my years
they’d love me…
And standing by the water’s edge I’d smile
those girls would find me in my tent that night
strip me down and pick me up, I’d be lost
I’d be so ready for the feelings I imagined
I’d be lovely…
Standing in the surf
I stole the show, all the people loved me
they loved me, even if they never said
or never looked… or never came…
And as I grew, I learned to see
I was just a boy, staring at the sea
a head of daydreams, ideals and fantasies
my image really; just childish, introverted
completely unapproachable
The girls, they didn’t come to me
I just stood on that shore by day
and ran through tall grass and summer rain by night
watching the waves from rocks and heights
My pretence, my best defence
the only way I ever felt okay
trying never to admit
I was young and lonely
I was so young and already so lonely…
[2003]
Thanks for reading.
Originally published June 2020. This poem can also be found in my poetry collection ‘One of These Years…‘.
The Lighthouse 
Thank you Frances 🙂
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I hope you’re not still lonely…
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Thankfully, I discovered that when you stop pretending your life is a film (or a music video) and start talking to people, the loneliness quickly recedes.
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‘And as I grew, I learned to see
I was just a boy, staring at the sea’
That was wonderful.
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Thank you so much! Bit of a cheat on the rhyming, but it says what it needed. 🙂
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So beautiful! The last line took my heart away! 🌸
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Oh thank you so much. I’m glad you enjoyed this one!
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Enjoyed, again. How young we were, and how naive!
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Thanks Peter. 🙂 This poem feels like it was written another lifetime ago and was describing another lifetime before that… 🙂
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Well penned – a boy’s longing.
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Thank you Cassa! 🙂
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