"Freedom, Second Hand" Tom Hopwood

Freedom, Second Hand

Tom Hopwood
[tomhopwood@hotmail.com]

I saw myself today in tattered clothing, second hand-second hand.
It seemed that there were Birthday parties everywhere, with children laughing,
Celebrating another step closer to death, old age.
I want this and I want that.
I want to buy my piece of mind through all the perfect things,
Riding like freedom down my motorcycle highways,
Wearing the perfect pair of shoes,
Sailing my seas with my perfect body,
While my wealthy paychecks blow carefree in my wake.
I want to dive deeply like madmen might
`Til warm, wet darkness surrounds me serenely, my troubles floating to the surface,
Picked clean by flying scavengers.

But for now,
I turn around; I turn around.
I turn to my second hand-second hand pockets empty.
I turn to children laughing, celebrating nothing, and everything.
I turn to this old guitar with sticky fading stickers.
I turn to these worn out comfy old shoes.
I turn to the bitter relief of "All you can do is all you can do."
And at this moment, at least for now,

In all this, I find a second hand-second hand pockets empty freedom.
The prospect of new love is on my horizon,
And I am modest, humble, serene.

Poem © 2003 Tom Hopwood, all rights reserved
appears here by permission

Author Notes

This piece helped me to put into perspective the important things in life.It's a reminder, I guess, that it's not the wanting of things that will make you happy but, rather, appreciating what you have.

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