in the botanical gardens

a pantoum

I came here to escape the unreality of the real
to see how space holds light
to understand how to unfold takes time
I get the feeling I’m moving far too fast

to see how space holds light
you need to set aside distractions
not move too fast to take it in
or think too much

you need to set aside distractions
words disturb the symmetry
don’t think too much               be like
the roots which after all know light is everything

let nothing else disturb the symmetry
(strange            though            to never see the flower
when all you know is light is everything)
and yet it’s almost impossible

not to be distracted from the flower
to wonder where the sound of running water’s coming from
almost impossible not to be drawn
to the blue sky and the clouds beyond the glass

(where is the sound of running water coming from?)
I came here to escape the unreality of the real
the blue sky and the clouds beyond the glass
to understand how to unfold takes time

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Dominic Rivron
Picture Nick Victor

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