On this labor day, in praise
Of all those workers of the world
Whose hard labor makes the world turn
In Praise of Anonymity
by John Herlihy
________________________________________
I ask myself: Do I want to be known?
I ask because I am knowingly unknown.
An unseen poet with an unspoken voice,
Is this anonymity any cause to rejoice?
I bask in this privacy, truth to tell,
Mystery inherent in an unrung bell.
Words scripted on an empty page,
Sentiments that echo wisdom sage.
I tell myself: I don’t want to be known,
A sense of freedom in being unknown.
Time enough to probe what I might say,
Time enough to find my own solitary way.
Do bluebells know of their utter beauty
Or rest content in their own anonymity?
Owls offer us an image they never devise,
The image, not the owl, seems to be wise.
Anonymity ensures an exploration of self,
Who am I sitting there quietly upon a shelf?
Fame brings with it much inevitable noise,
Drowning out the buds of our private joys.
Give me anonymity as light gives a shadow;
Not me, the poems, blooming in the meadow.
—
Copyright © John Herlihy
Monday 7 September 2026
Labor Day
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But I respect your desire to be unknown. Your poetry certainly involves much introspection. But as an author, you stand the risk of being discovered and therefore, perhaps lose your shield of anonymity.
Ron