Ode to the Tramp

a poem about the feelings of a tramp

Ode to the Tramp

 

“Hey! You down and out tramp” they shout! They think I’m low life scum, they know nothing of me and from where I have come.  It’s their loss, I alone am my own boss, and no one person rules me, not even society.  They will never again see the potential in me; my guard will never drop to entertain thee.

The unshaven grey bristles, the shoes with no toes, the stench from the unwashed clothes.  They look me down with a harsh frown; I worry not because I’ll never have to answer to you.  I bet your life’s a complicated web of deceit, entwined with a mixture of falseness and insecurities.  Mine is the simple life and most of its free, at any time I can move to the shade of a brand new tree.

The beauty of me is buried deep within, my colourful soul so tiny inside, yet it has not quiet yet died. They’d have to dig deep to ignite it again, to relight the flame.  That part of me withered like an old rotting flower losing my colour, my scent, my life, since that day you left me, my soul mate in life, my beautiful redheaded green eyed wife.....

Home again under the tree deep in the woods, the grass is my carpet, the branches my house, other peoples rubbish collected over the years that make up my abode, grand to me, comfortable and homely. The fire burning is my T.V of life I look into the flames and remember my wife, reflections and memories of my colourful life, smiling to myself, muttering and mumbling, mad!!! They call me; it’s not me who’s out of my tree ha!!!

The Owl is telling me it’s time for bed, the bats sweeping down so close to my head. By day the squirrels are my family, the birds they do chat to me.  So don’t mock my life or worry about me because I will be the one whom dies happily, with my Green Eyed Woman waiting for me.

Ink angel

Reviews

[R J Askew]

This was a great poem to read at 0900 in the morning before hauling myself into a treeless, skyless office in London.

I esp enjoyed these lines: 'Mine is the simple life and most of its free, at any time I can move to the shade of a brand new tree.' and 'The fire burning is my T.V of life'.

Now then! The tramp is many things to us. We can see him in many different lights depending in part on how we are when we look, on our mood and circumstances. We can envy him. We can be ruplused by him. We can feel sad for him. We can want to fix him. There are all sorts of ways to see him, or not see him even.

I think he is symbolic. Arguably, he is in us all, is there in far off corners of all our beings. We crave his freedom. He is close to Nature and Life. O how we crave those things, instinctively. But, but, but... We don't want to be like him. It rains under those trees. We wld get sick, hungry, get a kicking. Is it this? We don't want to sit to close to, or look too deeply into Life's fire. We just can't stand it. it is hard work. Life is hard. We die. We don't want to face these things. And so we hide away from them in our comfy materialism. We deny them. We die a little as we do this, but live longer. The craving to live, live, live is strong. But we don't want to really face Life as we do so. There are paradoxes at every turn. We are all sooooo settled in our safe, ordered worlds. This is good. And dull. Most of us are just not strong enough to allow our inner tramps to have their head. Nor are we encouraged to as it wld, well, erm, be inconvenient for those who want to keep us tame. They, of course, usually have a vested interest in this. Those who master the web in which we all are have more time and money to indulge their inner tramps. The rest of us seldom can.

As for real tramps. They wld probably have an entirely different view. Some wld never come inside. Some are total tramps in their minds. Others have scattered minds and are probably lost. But are they more lost than I will be when I setttle into a seat on the 1103 into London?

[Ink Angel]

Love this review

[R J Askew]

*bows* I no longer get the 1103! I escaped work with a handy redundo cheque!

[Ink Angel]

ha ha ha Im well jealous, I need one of those ! Enjoy not getting the 1103......Im sure you will fill your ......

ha ha ha ! Im well jealous, I want one of those! Enjoy not getting the 1103, Im sure you will fill your days with your wonderful writing! and your zest for life :) will take you far.........

[Ink Angel]

not sure what happened there, I know my keys keep sticking, not great for a writer lol. I love the take on the tramp, that he is in us all yet we dont want to get too close, and certainly dont want to live his life. We are so attached to material things, home comforts, wealth, we are certainly
blessed! Yet I dont think may of us realise this, or see the whole picture, for that matter.

[Ink Angel]

many not may

[A. Amos]

Now this one make me smile, you know the art of playing with people moods. Great work and keep it up.

[Ink Angel]

Thank you Amos, the day I wrote this its like I was that tramp almost channeled to me.

[A. Amos]

I can understand my dear and you're most welcome

[Brittany]

To me, this spoke of not judging a book by it's cover. We judge every person we pass and yet we have no idea of what his/her life has been like. We don't know their past, present, or future and we can choose to reject or look deeper. Great writing and message.

[Ink Angel]

Thank you so much for this review. Im glad the message of not judging others has come across, as they say walk a mile in my shoes.......

[Kes]

I really enjoyed this. Brought a smile to my face!
K

[Jack Isaac]

Beautiful sentiment with a twist at the end. Ahh... and what they don't know about the simple life, my friend. No telemarketers calling at dinner time, no debt collectors, and best of all, no taxes! Well penned from the ink well Ink Angel. Nice poem.

[Monica]

You're a beautiful poet! I really enjoyed this :) It makes you think about what's important in life.

[patricia]

enjoyed this a lot. thanks.