Solitude
by John Herlihy
Ah, the perfection of that sweet solitude,
As perfect as silence, its infinite quietude.
Silence and solitude walk hand and hand,
Neither of them offers me a reprimand.
They bring with them no change of weather,
They feel as weightless as a falling feather.
The exquisite feeling of being totally alone,
All life's pressure pared down to the bone.
No fears, no anxiety, no sense of terror,
Just quiet reflection of myself in the mirror.
As if sitting in the nave of a vast cathedral,
Trekking on pathways of a forest primeval.
No requiem, no dirge, no song to be sung,
Not a rag of worries, no fears to be wrung.
Just the blessing of my true friend, solitude,
To lend me this sense of infinite beatitude.
- - -
Copyright ©John Herlihy
Saturday 15 November 2025
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The one time I didn't wish to be alone was when I was observing something amazing, like the aurora borealis or the magnificent rack of a buck emerging from the brush to look at me. Or even the magnificent sunset, with an armadillo energetically digging for insects under the lamp by the park entrance.
Things that I wish I could be with a companion with just to share in silence or talking about quietly. One time, three of us saw a UFO. We discussed it, but came to no conclusion as to what it was.
Ron
Rebecca