The People Watcher | Teen Ink
  1. Home
  2. Poetry
  3. The People Watcher

The People Watcher

August 19, 2009
By Whoeschler91 BRONZE, La Crosse, Wisconsin
More by this author
Whoeschler91 BRONZE, La Crosse, Wisconsin
1 article 0 photos 1 comment
View profile

The snow-white pigeon sits upon my head,
Basking in the warmth
Of the summer evening sunset.

Always ready to take flight,
In pursuit of people and breadcrumbs,
I do not bother him,

I sit on the library steps of the university.
As still as the sighing pigeon
Ensconced in time, in this skin of bronze
I was created
and put in this world with a purpose.
I am the People Watcher.

Strange humans walk this square,
All taking different paths.
From end to end they glide,
as I receive just a glimpse of their destinies…

There goes a young man with an eye of determination
in hopes of becoming a lawyer.
There goes a young girl on her tricycle,
playing with her father.
There sleeps a homeless man,
dreaming about a life of riches, fame, and women.

Sometimes I wish I could follow these people past the square,
But that is not my path to follow.
I must stay here and watch over the ones that pass through.
I will always be the People Watcher.

The author's comments:
This past summer I went to a journalism camp at Columbia university. I did it on a total whim, thinking it would be a cool experience. I was more intrigued by the fact that I would get to go to New York City. In a creative writing session I wrote this poem while sitting on the library steps at Columbia. This was the first poem I had ever written and this poem jump started my love for poetry. So much that I started a poetry club at my school and was one of the finalist in the poetry out loud recitation competition at my school. I was really pleased to here that for my summer obligations I had to have a piece of my poetry submited for publication.
Post a comment
Submit your own

Similar Articles

Previous Next
Poetry
A Soul Lost At Sea
By Anonymous
Poetry
Be Heard
By Anonymous
Poetry
overdose
By Anonymous
Poetry
Year of Change 2008
By Anonymous
Poetry
Silver Bullet
By Anonymous
Poetry
Ying-Yang
By Anonymous

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 2 comments.

Whoeschler91 BRONZE said...
on Nov. 12 2009 at 1:12 pm
Whoeschler91 BRONZE, La Crosse, Wisconsin
1 article 0 photos 1 comment
View profile
Wow! I was happy but surprised to have someone comment on my poem who when to the same camp as I did. I read all your work and it's very good! I like how you write in all sorts of forms of literature, poetry, playwrights, and free prose. Thanks for the compliments and good luck.
Jennax3 SILVER said...
on Aug. 21 2009 at 6:34 pm
Jennax3 SILVER, Palos Verdes Estates, California
6 articles 0 photos 113 comments
View profile
Hey, I did that EXACT program at Columbia this summer!

I know exactly what you're talking about when you say 'the steps of the library'.

Coincidentally, the creative writing program at columbia jump-started my interest in poetry too :)



Now back to the poem: this is so amazing... it's such a unique topic! It's always fun to be a People-Watcher. Usually, inspiration for poetry comes from watching people and the sometimes outrageous things they do. Great job, keep writing!