Hello. I know most people who land on this page will have read this already, but I am thinking about adding my poems with a bit of background to them on this blog as often as I can. The following poem took me a couple of hours to write, but weeks to formulate in my head. In this poem, I talk about having time to think, which is something I really enjoyed about the book, “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” which is actually my favourite book ever. I even made a bit of a reference to motorbikes in this poem. In reality, I did rent a scooter in Honolulu on a recent trip to Hawaii and it was just about the most liberating feeling I have ever had, except perhaps for the cost. I haven’t travelled all that much on my own, but I have been to Vancouver and California, Northern BC, Ottawa and Toronto, as well as Hawaii, London and most of Denmark. I have always had a strong desire to explore the US, but first I need to be able to afford a car reliable enough to last a few months of hard driving. When I was 18, first out on my own, I lived in a traveller’s Hostel in a sketchy part of Vancouver and I would often talk with people for hours about all the things they had done and seen. It was a real education for me, learning about how to find work and get discounted tickets and many many other travel tips. One of the things I remember the most about that stay back in 1990 was that there was an old worn-out hippie dude who was likely about 50 or 60 at the time who only seemed to want to drink and eat and, when had drank enough, dance by himself. I had made it known to all of my friends that I wanted most in the world to become a writer and this old hippie came up to me on one of the last days of my stay there and told me about Jack Keroac who would go off and hitch-hike and travel and live life to the lees and then come back and just sit and write. I have heard much more about Keroac since, including how he wrote a book on an extra long piece of paper but I think the coolest thing I have seen in regards to the guy was a book a friend of mine has signed by ‘John Keroac’ which was the name he used before Jack. Anyhow, I hope I am not boring you, but I invite all who come to this page to have a good long look at my stories and poems and take advantage of my free poetry page on Facebook under ‘Valhalla Books’. If you like my stuff enough, download a kindle app on your smartphone and get into my head on your daily commute (I recommend taking the bus to work, but one day soon I plan to have my work made into audiobooks). All the best, and enjoy the poem for today!
Vacationary Poem
Sometimes into my heart the darkness creeps in
Hate and jealousy, spite and fear
But somehow it all seems to melt apart
When your sweet and loving face is near
I find it hard to simply not give in
To those things that drive me mad
And those emotions drive your soul from me
And leave me bitter, lost and sad
I decided I simply had to take a journey
A journey inside and out
I needed to get back the young man’s heart
That brought your love for me about
I took a plane over the Rockies
Then another across the vast Pacific
I desperately needed back that part of me
That philosophizing poet charming and prolific
I made it to Hawaii
That place so many dream about
The warm and salty ocean renewed me
The beauty made me shout
There is just nothing like a journey
If it gives you the time you need for thought
And to satisfy all your yearnings
And remind you why you scraped and fought
We all must fight to keep on living
Or each day a little bit we shall die
It keeps our hearts loving and forgiving
It answers the most basic question: why
You asked nothing of me Hawaii
Your islands born of lava and of fire
I swam your crystal blue ocean waters
My need was real and dire
Hawaii you have desert
Land of freedom you have beach
In just a few remote island cities
All things in imagination are within reach
I took underwater pictures of your coral
I drove your highways vast
I laid upon your sandy beaches
And sweated off the memories of the past
I travelled past your coastlines
And motorcycled through your streets
And found once again that place inside me
Where passion and ambition meets
Oh, to feel those ocean breezes
To feel Hawaii in some small way you are mine
Although I live where everything freezes
I will always carry the memories of our time
When I left you I was totally renewed
Ready to face another year
And for myself I felt good because I proved
I missed the way things are back here
There were a few other things I missed as well
I’m not a man without any friends
Little things like open windows
Letting in cool air as each day ends
To you my dear readers
Please find a place of solace and renewal to retreat
Melt your hardened hearts and tan away your unhappiness
And prove to yourself that you can take the heat
And now my dear companion
My lover and my soul-mate true
I can get back to what really matters
I can get back to loving you
Leif Gregersen
October 14, 2014
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Mental Health coping skills blog by leif gregersen 