by Marc Gunn, September 9, 2004

I was watching Il Postino yesterday and found myself inspired by the movie and recent thoughts on travel and Italy. It yielded this poem.

The sea, the stars, the sky,
The earth, the sand,
The world is a metaphor
For something else,
And that 'something else'
Is a metaphor for the world.

I know this to be true.
Ask a postman.

But sometimes to see, to hear, to feel,
To truly experience that metaphor
You must view life from a different direction,
Because the grass IS always greener on the other side.

Thus, you must either change your mind
To imagine being on the other side of the fence,
Or,
Climb the fence.

I'm not sure which is bolder,
Or which is more creative.

But for me,
I want to climb over the fence.
I want to look at the world
From a vagrant's eyes,
To fall in love with destiny
By standing outside the window peeking in,
Like a Peeping Tom with his Godiva,
Though much more fulfilling
Than a simple lust for flesh.

Only then, I fear,
Will I find restitution of my memories
And truly release the poet
That harbours patiently in my soul.