I want to share a beautiful, poignant poem with you. It was written by John T. Wood, and I have a copy of it on the wall beside my bedroom. It’s been there for over two years, but even now, I often stop and read it. Sadly, I’ve been unable to find anything else written by this man. The first time I read it, one of the thoughts which went through my mind was “I wish I had written it”.
POEM FOR EVERYONE
I will present you
parts
of
my
self
slowly
if you are patient and tender.
I will open drawers
that mostly stay closed
and bring out places and people and things
sounds and smells,
loves and frustrations,
hopes and sadnesses,
bits and pieces of three decades of life
that have been grabbed off
in chunks
and found lying in my hands.
they have eaten
their way into my memory,
carved their way into
my heart.
altogether
– you or i will never see them –
they are me.
if you regard them lightly,
deny that they are important
or worse, judge them
i will quietly, slowly,
begin to wrap them up,
in small pieces of velvet,
like worn silver and gold jewelry,
tuck them away
in a small wooden chest of drawers
and close.
–
John T. Wood.
It IS beautiful and poignant, everything you could want in a poem.
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Yes. This one poem – I wonder if the writer knows just how powerful it is. I first discovered it pinned to the office wall of a drugs counsellor, back when I used to go there with my daughter..
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I doubt Mr. Wood does.
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Beautiful.
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You can see why I wish I wrote it…
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I do.
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Beautiful poem Jane. Thanks for sharing it. If you find anymore from this guy please let us know 😊
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It was a pleasure. I will if I can, but don’t hold out too much hope.
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I, too, wish I had written it. It feels so universal, so everyone, so especially me.
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I guess most of us are vulnerable on some level.
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As nobody i know, knows i write this blog, could use that as a great introduction. Thanks for posting.
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I’d like to see it plastered everywhere I turn.
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Wow, wow, wow !! Maybe he was someone linked to that clinic somehow. Have you asked them where it came from? There might be someone there who knows.
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I’m afraid the solution isn’t that simple. They found the poem on the internet… it can be found if you type the guy’s name in Google….
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I know – I did it!
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Did you have any more luck than me?
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No, unfortunately 😦
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Darn it…
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Oh my! What a poem. It hit ‘bulls-eye’ in my soul. I’m definitely going to re-blog this in the near future. Better yet, I’ll print it and frame it. Beautiful words 🙂
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The more exposure it gets the better, as I see it… although I wish John T Wood was getting royalties.
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He deserves to.
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Very Nice! 😎😎😎
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Very beautiful. I find that I approach people in that same way. And once I put something back again after showing it to someone, I never take it out to share with them again…
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Same here. Once bitten, twice shy…
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This is a spectacular poem, I see why you keep a copy in everyday sight. I feel honoured that my piece even reminded you slightly of this.
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A lot of my readers appreciated this poem, so I think they’d go for yours. Would you mind if I re-blogged it? I like to obtain permission before re-blogging.
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Of course I don’t mind, I’m flattered that you’d consider it. Reblog away!
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Yes!
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Lovely and deep 😊
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A phenomenal example of poetry, I’ll be sure to read more of his works! Thanks for putting it out there!
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You’ll be lucky to find more of his works – I tried, and couldn’t.
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Amazing and mesmerizing poem
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It’s captured a lot of people’s imagination.
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Reblogged this on Ruins of My Life.
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Thanks for reblogging this amazing poem 🙂
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Hey! Loved this poem, would you check out https://tanyatale.wordpress.com/2017/08/25/poetry-with-deveaux-fraiser-cracked/
This guy is a amazing poet and I’d love for you to see his work
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I’m sorry I didn’t respond before now – the spam bots removed your comment to my spam folder. Sometimes they’re a bit over-enthusiastic, and they scrap stuff for no reason that I can understand.
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“I will present you
parts
of
my
self
slowly
if you are patient and tender.
I will open drawers
that mostly stay closed”
my favourite part 🙂
http://www.poetrypost.co.uk
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Beautiful..
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This poem was excellent and very well written
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I think that I found another poem by John T. Wood which is called I won’t always cry Mummy.
I won’t always cry, Mummy,
When you leave the room
and my supermarket tantrums,
Will end too soon,
I won’t always wake, Daddy,
… For cuddles through the night
& one day you’ll miss,
Having a chocolate face to wipe.
You won’t always wake to find my foot,
is kicking you out of bed,
Or find me sideways on your pillow,,
Where you want to lay your head.
You won’t always have to carry me,
In asleep from the car,
Or piggy back me down the road,
When my little legs can’t walk that far,
So cherish every cuddle,
Remember them all,
Because one day, Mummy.
I won’t be this small
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It’s very different from the other one, but it ripped through me in a way I can’t describe. Where did you find it?
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Sorry, my bad as I just found out that this poem is by Stephanie Turner.
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Thank you for your serendipitous mistake. I was so moved by the poem that I rang my son. Your error might have saved his life. I don’t say this lightly. He’s an addict in shaky recovery, and our contact is sparse, as he’s abusive toward me when he uses. I think he needed me to reach out to him today. I read him the poem, and he was very moved by it.
I’ve long been aware of the ripple effect of small actions, and I’m grateful to you for fluttering your wings.
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Beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful piece with us all.
PS Do check out my blog too if you get the time. 🙂
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💕💕 beautiful poem
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I liked it very much !!
Hope you will like mine too !!
Visit : http://bleedingthoughtsweb.com/2017/10/24/the-day-you-left/
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i loved it, would really make my day if you checked out my poems, and hopefully share the beautiful World of writing
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Beautiful!
Do check out my work also!
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