My Rectangular Window

This is a poem I wrote a couple of years back, it has always been one of my favorites. Basically, it was my feelings about my world at that time.

I look out my rectangular window to observe my world

The moon still illuminates the darkened pavement

And somewhere the sun is burning away

But everything seems to be changed

Monstrous figures walk in our cluttered orbs

Trees burn from kerosene that drips from the camouflaged clouds

 

I ponder as to what my rectangular window has seen

For its life may have been short

It has seen plenty

But it still sits, watching the world

Unafraid and vulnerable to everything

 

A window doesn’t look through a barrel of a gun

Or hold the pin from a grenade

It just sits, patiently,

Watching a world tear each other into pieces

 

My rectangular window never chooses what it sees,

But it is forced to,

Like an infant child.

Raindrops trickle down like tears

Falling into a puddle of helplessness

 

Shelter sits behind the window, like us all

We descend into hiding

Covering our cluttered orbs with blankets

Hold our shotguns with pathetic authority

 

One day a rock will come crashing through my rectangular window,

Glass will shatter and fall to our shelter

Trails of its life will be scattered on my floor

Like a bloody murder scene

 

Its observant life may end that day, but let’s not cry

Its eyes never wanted to see what it did

My rectangular window never believed in hope

                                  So the last thing it saw wasn’t a disappointment

Reviews

[Shante Payne]

This is amazing! When I started reading I had no idea of the depth that would come from your words. I love the way you personify the window and it makes the reader think outside of the box. How true is this, how the window sees everything that people do to each other and themselves. It makes me start think that windows see what goes on everywhere. Intresting...does this window judge, or is it simply saddened by the lives that people live? Hmmm...very interesting. You're definatly one to watch, this poem came alive right here on this page. Great write!

[Sweet & Tender Hooligan]

A unique perception of the world seen through a window. I enjoyed reading this a lot. The ideas and imagery are refreshing and interesting.

[Zachary Craig]

My intentions for the window at the time was to be the human race in general, how we all can see, but there was little we could all do. So, in the sense the window did feel emotions

[DBarII]

So uh, you should totally keep writing :D. I loved reading the analogies, mostly, plus I agree with Shante about how you personified the window into having the capability of seeing the world. I also question if the window can judge because at the end you observe the window and choose to make its last sight a non-disappointing one; but this doesnt tell me if the window, in itself, can judge what it sees. This, on the contrary, also leads me to believe that since you chose to give the window a decent final sight that it could, indeed, judge since it could tell the difference between dissappointment and other feelings. Thank you for posting such such a great poem. Keep up the good work man.

I'd say that those last two lines are very wise and tie the poem up very nicely.