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On Seeing a Young Girl Reading Poetry
by Ken HarnischThere is around the bend ahead
A dreamer
I have seen her sitting on the porch
With her knees hunched
Up against her chin
Reading poetry
And she doesn’t see me passing by
Her glasses are perched precariously
On the bridge of too soft
And lovely a nose
To be encumbered so
And you wonder when
It was discovered
Her eyes could not make out
The words unmagnified
She sometimes stirs
Restlessly
When turning a page
As if curious to know when
A love poem will all too
Often end in tragedy
I try peering through
The binding
To see which poem
Intrigues her so
And wonder if,
At fourteen,
Immersing herself
In such complexities
As a love poem
Assures the one she writes
Eventually
Will end as sadly
12/09/2009 Posted on 12/09/2009
Copyright © 2025 Ken Harnisch
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by V. Blake on 12/09/09 at 05:52 AM That last stanza is one of the best things I've ever read. Seriously excellent work here, Ken. Adding this to my favorites. |
| Posted by V. Blake on 12/09/09 at 05:57 AM On second read, I notice "In such complexities /
As a love poem" is a bit awkward. Maybe "As these love poems" ? |
| Posted by Allison Smith on 12/09/09 at 08:20 AM NIce. |
| Posted by George Hoerner on 12/09/09 at 01:49 PM Very nice write Ken and though I see Vince's point, if there are no complexities in the poem or her current love life there certainly will be some by the time she turns eighteen if not before. |
| Posted by Nanette Bellman on 12/09/09 at 11:22 PM This is exquisite. I too have pondered these thoughts about the faces and minds I see behind book. |
| Posted by Melissa Arel on 12/10/09 at 04:24 AM I love that you noticed this girl, probably someone who is normally unnoticeable. I find that fact charming, and really enjoyed the way you wrote of her. Wonderful as always Ken :) |
| Posted by Richard Vince on 06/16/11 at 09:36 PM mm. that is lovely. exactly the sort of poem i hoped from its title. :) thank you for writing it. :) |
| Posted by Kristine Briese on 12/22/11 at 04:06 PM I'm with Richard. This is exactly what I was looking for. |
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