The Waiting
A quiet lesson in waiting and presence
We cannot decide when the bus comes - only how we wait.
🌫️🚌🌙👤❄️💡🌧️
Ponderous, at the bus stop all ignore
Mind going over faint lights;
Little cracks in the cement surface.
My breath fogs the air ,
Covering timetable edges
Tapping thrice
Frigid metal
Of rails.
🌫️🚌🌙👤❄️💡🌧️
A light afar flickers
Thrice, in tandem
With approaching feet
Even marches pause,
Shimmer
In a puddle.
🌫️🚌🌙👤❄️💡🌧️
Too late.
The bus -a figment.
The street waits, still.
The clicks
Of the flickering light
Echo.
Cannot be paused.
🌫️🚌🌙👤❄️💡🌧️
I get up
Still tapping thrice
But faintly.
My breath fogs -
And lingers.
But i stay
Present.
Calm.
In its cloud.
🌫️🚌🌙👤❄️💡🌧️
Original poem by Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin. AI tags are coincidental.
For Mikeydred's January prompt
What do you do when things are out of your control? Do answer in the comments!
About the Creator
Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin
Hi, i am an English Language teacher cum freelance writer with a taste for pets, prose and poetry. When I'm not writing my heart out, I'm playing with my three dogs, Zorra, Cloudy and Snowball.
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Comments (8)
I tend toward impatience but have improved (a bit) as I’ve aged. This is really cool, I love it!
Gosh you wrote this soooo beautifully! Loved it so much!
Beautiful poem, Michelle! I realize when things are out of your control you can only be patient or redirect your attention and effort elsewhere.
I love this! Such a peaceful way to sit with uncertainty.
Taking in everything around you as you wait for the bus.
We cannot decide how the bus comes only how we wait. That is deep The bus is coming when it comes...you either will be on it, or you will not...wow
I am really terrible still, at nearly 46, at handling situations completely out of my control. This was quite visceral especially as it was something that might be considered trivial as waiting for a bus and the "oh that's the bus... no it's not" kinda feel. I loved the tension of the poem. But as for dealing with situations out of my control. I like to think, on occasion I can just brave through it, or take on board that it's beyond my control, but sometimes, I'm not as good at being level headed lol. I guess it depends on the stakes invovled too. You've now got me pondering this, Michelle! Good job!
Waiting is not great until it's over, your words capture it wonderfully