Wednesday 17 March 2010

An Abandoned Hour by Gareth Trew

Today, I dropped an hour
by the side of a busy road.

I did not pause to reconsider
but simply left it lying there,
abandoned amongst butts, crushed cans
and spat-out wads of gum.

Later – through the evening news – I learned
that my hour had been found and used.

A young boy – an aspiring
traffic-window-washer –
had spotted it, pocketed it
and spent it straight away.

An extra hour in his day
and he'd bested fate; defied
his high-stacked odds.

He smiled widely, but his grateful face
held great contempt as well: for me.

I sat, unmoving,
no longer watching,
but musing on my hour, gone;

wondering – shamefacedly –
with it, what could I have done?


Gareth Trew

3 comments:

Crafty Green Poet said...

Gareth Trew is twenty-two years old and perpetually confused. He has been writing for most of his life, but only seriously for the last year or so; he currently has a few publications to his name. In addition to creative writing, Gareth is also keenly interested in the performing arts, particularly acting

Anonymous said...

There's nothing confused about this piece- it's straight up awesomeness. Well done, Gareth.

You've made me think.

t said...

I liked this poem a lot. Its conceit is interesting. The poem is also a lesson, perhaps? Never drop your time carelessly -- otherwise, like the persona we'll be left 'shamefaced' and wondering, 'with it, what could I have done?'