Today is my birthday so I shall indulge in a bit of navel-gazing.
On this day,
Long ago and far away,
I was born in a town I’ve never seen,
A country never been,
Among people I’ll never know.
Mid-December day of ice and snow,
A hesitation on the way,
Not a place to stay,
No ties that bind,
No tangled interwined
Branch and root,
No tree to bear fuit.
Distant, unregretted time and place,
No memories stored that can replace,
This me, this you,
This just we two,
This river-bright, cloud-grey
Mild and blustery, gull-filled day.
Beautiful poem, Jane.
Thank you, Jean 🙂
Happy birthday! 🙂 Lovely poem.
Thank you for both comments 🙂
Congrats! Have a great new year!
Thank you, Peter. I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you’re right. Next year begins here.
Happy birthday and keep navel gazing like this; it was most beautiful
Thank you! I navel gaze a bit too much. Preparing a birthday meal will take care of that for this evening at least.
Sometimes it is a necessity to navel gaze to know one’s navel well enough although it is also good to remove that focus and gaze at the horizons again so your eyesight can clear and regain better focus.
I like that explanation. It makes me feel better about ignoring everything that impinges upon what I’m immersed in.
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Looking deep inside. Happy birthday!
Thank you 🙂
Happy Birthday, Jane. Beautiful poem!
We both have December birthdays–mine is next week. 🙂
Thank you! Don’t forget to post a reminder 🙂
Happy Birthday! Hope you have a lovely day!
Thanks Ali! I’m working on it 🙂
Happy Next Year.
Thank you!
Happy birthday jane, have a nice evening to celebrate it!
Thank you 🙂 I think we’ll be allowed to stay at home and celebrate together this evening.
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Navel gazing, indeed, recognizing the past wile giving full weight to Now.
And, Happy Birthday!
There are parts of my past, like the place I was born that have so little weight. What’s important is now, what I am now, and what made me the way I am. It certainly wasn’t a maternity hospital in Philadelphia.
Happy Birthday Jane! I enjoyed your poem…a fitting way to mark a birthday. It’s only 11am here so your birthday is repeating itself 🙂
Thank you, Janice 🙂 I’ll be leaving the party long before you!
But I just arrived! 🙂
I’ll leave you a piece of cake 🙂
Yay! I love cake 🙂
Who knew? A navel as a well of inspiration. You own a valuable dimple Jane. Enjoy another year wiser…
I’ll try and do just that, wiser or not 🙂
Wishing you a very happy birthday, full of whatever you want it to be. navels included 😀
Thanks Jaye 🙂 It was a good day. I was left alone with my navel for most of it. Tomorrow I have to make an effort to be sociable though.
Happy belated birthday, Jane. I hope you had a good day.
Quiet, thanks, Tricia. Just the way I like them 🙂
Bit late, but many happy Returns ❤
Thanks! Belated wishes are just as acceptable 🙂