Travelled the world in 80 days
Landed in every place
And did not even seek eyes or record a face
Have you actually been there?
Really, truly been aware
Taken a breath of chilled air
Felt the warmth of the southern sun
Realised you were amongst old and young
You’ve been to each and every continent
You can chant times and dates
Repeat arrivals and departures
As you know all about the pace
The pace at which you travelled
Yet didn’t capture eyes or reflect a face
You’ve filled every minute, every hour
With every country and their borderlines
Marked a map and ticked a box
It is where you have kept your travels in check
Did you study eyes or mirror a face?
Can you recall the fragrance of spices, cities, homes and plants?
The colour of local hills, skin and skies
Their texture, their movement, their streets
Can you chant and repeat the sound of native birds, motor, land and town beats
‘No’ you say ‘Although I did travel the world in 80 days’
Stop, stop, stop, I declare, in absolute despair
Stand still for a moment
Look…here is your hand
Open it to the life lines held
You stand here in 80 worlds of creature and man
Yield and succumb to them, become the land
Travel, travel with your eyes
In 80 ways
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There are times I sit and watch the world go by. Times I see travellers with backpacks strapped on, sticks and maps in hands and heads down. They captivate me. They inspired me.
Landed in every place
And did not even seek eyes or record a face
Have you actually been there?
Really, truly been aware
Taken a breath of chilled air
Felt the warmth of the southern sun
Realised you were amongst old and young
You’ve been to each and every continent
You can chant times and dates
Repeat arrivals and departures
As you know all about the pace
The pace at which you travelled
Yet didn’t capture eyes or reflect a face
You’ve filled every minute, every hour
With every country and their borderlines
Marked a map and ticked a box
It is where you have kept your travels in check
Did you study eyes or mirror a face?
Can you recall the fragrance of spices, cities, homes and plants?
The colour of local hills, skin and skies
Their texture, their movement, their streets
Can you chant and repeat the sound of native birds, motor, land and town beats
‘No’ you say ‘Although I did travel the world in 80 days’
Stop, stop, stop, I declare, in absolute despair
Stand still for a moment
Look…here is your hand
Open it to the life lines held
You stand here in 80 worlds of creature and man
Yield and succumb to them, become the land
Travel, travel with your eyes
In 80 ways
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are times I sit and watch the world go by. Times I see travellers with backpacks strapped on, sticks and maps in hands and heads down. They captivate me. They inspired me.
