Pedestrian

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For a moment,
they bob,

these dull black balloons,

tethered to the traffic lights
in stringtime contemplation,

hermetic thoughts
jostle and tangle,
in colourless mirror-image
inscrutability,

safe
to dream themselves red-hot
airships unleashed,

cerulean adventures
aloft a blue-moon day.

xxxxxxx

Wonderfully talented photographer Madelaine Cappuccio has teamed my poem ‘Pedestrian’ with one of her beautiful balloon photos over at her blog, Images by Madelaine Cappuccio.

Thanks, Madelaine 😀

32 thoughts on “Pedestrian”

  2. By the way, BB, I have just purchased your Good Read “when the air hits your brain”
    It is of especial interest since June’s triple brain surgery.
    Thank you for the recommendation
    John

    Reply

    • Gosh, John, June has been through such a lot. I was aware that she had had neurosurgey and had suffered a complication afterwards, but triple brain surgery?! How very stressful and exhausting for her, and for you and the family. I hope she is getting stronger now.
      I’d be interested to hear what you think of the book. Besides the neuroscience aspect of it (which is always so fascinating), I found Vertosick’s honesty about his fallibilities and the mental pathologies (God complexes, etc) in the profession very interesting. Coincidentally, I finished reading it not long before a friend was diagnosed with a glioma which turned out to be a grade III. The tremendous care and communication that she has had from the medical profession through her surgery and beyond makes me suspect that the medical educators are placing a lot more emphasis on the soft skills requirements of the profession than they used to. Best wishes and strength to you both, John. Thanks, BB.

      Reply

    • Thanks, Gilly 😀 I look at people standing at the traffic lights and wish someone would just burst into song or tell a joke or something – winter’s such a repressive season! (and if you’re wondering why I don’t lead the way, I can’t sing and am a hopeless joke-teller ;-))

      Reply

    • Thanks, Christine 🙂 The unspoken uniform of winter in the CBD is black clothes, and sombre pallid faces. I love it when someone breaks out in alarming colour – a yellow coat or fuchsia pink scarf, haha

      Reply

  7. You conjure up such images. I also love the image of the hermetic thoughts – that is an outstanding image. You’ve done it again. FABAMUNDO!!!

    Reply

  8. hahaha – that is exactly what it is like standing at the lights in the city – all the grave looking faces (I used to be one of those 😉 ) contemplating the dull work day and other worries – love ‘dull black balloons’ – haha – we need Benedicte to draw the cartoon – one could read ‘hope the bloody dog doesn’t destroy the doona again’ or ‘when is my boss going to have a heart attack!’ Good one bb 🙂

    Reply

    • I’m sure many have versions of that last thought, Gabe, hahaha. I’m still one of those black balloons occasionally – my traffic-light thoughts alternate between “I wish I was on a cycling holiday in rural Japan” or “I wish I was snorkelling with marine iguana in the Galapagos” to “Oh, @#$$%, I’m sure I’ve left the iron on” 🙂

      Reply

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  13. I read this before lunchtime … before I was standing before said black balloons … and it changed the colour of my day. Thank you 🙂

    Reply

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