I am listening with my eyes closed
bees bumble in flowers
wasps sharp buzzing near my head
bicycles spin past in the lane
I smell the lycra
I am listening with my eyes closed
I am listening with my eyes closed
to walkers stepping around
keeping the distance
people anxious and wary
soft breezes and hot sun
in a trapped season
I am listening with my eyes closed
I am listening, listening, feeling
cool air under trees
folk chatting as they pass
voices subdued
always the news, always the count
I am hoping, hoping, wanting
Fear washes us all clean
I am remembering
embracing, kissing friends
laughing
I am listening with my eyes closed
air moves, shivers leaves above
traffic burrs along a distant road
something clangs nearby
life persists, hopes, loves
I am listening with my eyes closed.
Copyright © 2021 Kim Whysall-Hammond
My response to earthweal weekly challenge: The Unsayable.
I am describing last summer in lockdown in this poem. Apart from the change form summer to winter, there is no material difference in my daily life between then to now.
Of course, we do now have safe and working vaccines!
The Cheesesellers Wife 
Beautiful perspective!
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Thank you!
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Wonderfully written. Reading, i could hear the sounds as if i was listening with eyes closed too.
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Thank you Sherry. I loved your poem and commented twice but each time the comment disappeared!!
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“I smell the Lycra “
Brilliant line, the poem captures the passive state, the pandemic has forced us into, has created.
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Have to admit, Lycra clad cyclists that zoom past very close to me in country lanes are the bane of my life at present!
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If only I could read with my eyes closed, Kim! I know exactly what you mean about last summer and the lack of material difference in daily life. I’ve had my first jab, but I’m still mostly confined to the house, although the sunshine got me out in the garden at the weekend. Thank you for the bees bumbling in the flowers and all the other summer sounds, which made me smile.
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We are still going for lots of country walks, it’s keeping us sane! I’ve had my first jab too, what a relief.
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This took the reader on a long journey. The anticipation of hoping life would get back to normal was ver clear to me.
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Thanks!
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‘life persists, hopes, loves’ – Amen to that! I love how you could ‘smell the lycra’ of cyclists. Made me smile…
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Those cyclists get far too close!
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😷
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Love this. I think we all must have our eyes closed. To open them may be too dreadful. But you end your poem with hope and that’s wonderful. The vaccine does offer us a view towards normality – or hopefully a better normal than before Covid.
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Let’s make it a better normal!
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I love the way the repetition builds the tension. We are all pulled out about as far as we can go. (K)
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Yes, we are….
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You capture the feeling of last year well. The vaccines are introducing a new element but the undercurrent is still there. Somedays it feels like we are listening with eyes closed.
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A powerful way to put it, Kim, attuning to the unspeakable listening with eyes closed. A subsurface landscape comes to view. A sort of vatic trance in the old school way (ancient Irish poets used to compose in complete darkness). It is also a self submerged by events. Well done. – Brendan
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Thank you Brendan. I admit, I was inspired by the poem “Listening to Istanbul”, although my poem had a very different theme.
On the 17th March 2020, we were due to fly to Istanbul……. :(
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the repetition really adds to the poem ! you’re super talented!
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Thank you!
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